30/6: Spaghetti with black olives

I think the Italians are the masters of simple cooking, making each ingredient really count. This pasta dish pays homage to that simplicity and manages to really pack a punch on the taste buds. With so few ingredients make sure they are good, the spaghetti should be perfectly cooked, al-dente, and the olives the best tasting you can find, and viola! you've got yourself a delicious plate of food in less than 10 minutes.

Prep& cooking 10 minutes

• spaghetti
• salt
• olive oil
• a good handful of whole oily black olives
• plenty of garlic
• Sicilian Green Sauce optional
• herb infused oil such as basil oil or crank up the heat a little with some chilli oil

Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling, salted water until just cooked, 6-7minutes usually. Meanwhile take the stones out of the olives and slice the garlic. Heat a large pan, a wok works for me, add a good slosh of olive oil and throw in the garlic, when the aroma rises add the olives and fry until you can really smell the olives. Drain the spaghetti and throw into the pan along with a little Sicilian Green Sauce or freshly chopped green herbs. Toss to coat well and serve drizzled with a little oil.

Variations: It tastes great with a smattering of roughly chopped fresh tomato  ( I am still waiting for my first tomato this year). If you don't have Sicilian Green Sauce or infused oils throw in some freshly chopped green herbs such as basil, oregano or parsley, and fresh or dried red chilli.