This simple and colourful pasta recipe showcases the flavours of Italy all in one dish. You can use dried or fresh pasta.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
16 small vine tomatoes
olive oil
300 grams linguine or other thin pasta
1/3 cup basil pesto (purchased or use our recipe to make your own)
3 tablespoons pine nuts, roasted
16 large black olives, halved and pitted
1 container bocconcini or mozzarella in whey, drained (I used Clevedon Valley Buffalo)
Parmesan for grating
zest of 1 lemon
fresh basil leaves
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Place the tomatoes on a lined baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast for 5-7 minutes until the skins are just starting to split. Cool.
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, well salted water until al dente. Take out ½ a cup of the cooking water and set aside then drain the pasta. Tip the pasta back into the saucepan and stir in the pesto and enough of the reserved cooking water to make a thin sauce that just coats each strand of pasta.
Stir through the pine nuts and olives.
To serve: Divide the pasta between warm shallow bowls. Break the bocconcini or mozzarella into pieces and scatter over the pasta. Top each serving with 4 roasted tomatoes, a generous grating of Parmesan, the lemon zest, basil and a little salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!