Pasta

I like to return home from Italy with a selection of different pastas 

Roast some tasty small sweet fresh tomatoes,

sprinkle with olive oil, a small crunch of good qualty sea salt, a little sugar, and some balsamic vinegar

 roast until caramalised

Whilst roasting tomatoes cook your pasta - this is Foglie d'ulivo -a spinach flavoured pasta resembling the leaves found on an olive trees

I also returned home with several packets of a pasta mixture containing dried herbs, sundried tomatoes, garlic and chilli etc. It has such lovely colouring that it almost looks fresh - the flavour is good too

When the pasta is cooked, mix in some olive oil, a mixture of herbs, fresh or dried, and two finely crushed cloves of fresh garlic

 Top with tomatoes and serve with freshly grated

parmesan cheese and a green salad 

A Vegetarian Supper Dish

The halls are now undecked, the 'thank you' letters written - the festivities are over, and I want simpler food on my plate.  
Take a handful of fresh basil leaves, two fat cloves of garlic, two tbspns extra virgin olive oil and blend together, add more oil if necessary

Place on prepared vegetables and roast - fresh herbs and garlic elevate the flavours of the vegetables to another level

I served mine with some homemade macaroni cheese, dressed salad leaves and runner beans. To make the cheese sauce really tasty add proper English mustard, freshly ground nutmeg and use a mature grated vintage cheddar cheese.