Tagliatelle with sardines and olives recipe

This is such a brilliantly simple and quick mid week meal that can be made with store cupboard ingredients. Sardines are packed with omega three fish oil and calcium too, so this is such a healthy supper for all the family. Sardines are quite strongly flavoured so you will not need to use a lot of seasonings and if you want this to be even quicker, just stir the sardines into a jar of pasta sauce. You can use any shaped pasta you have in your kitchen cupboards and, if you like your food spicy, add extra chilli flakes to taste.

Ingredients

• 300g tagliatelle
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• Pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)
• 75g black olives
• 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 basil leaves
• 120g can sardines in tomato sauce, broken into pieces with a fork
• 8 caper berries , to garnish (optional)
• A little grated parmesan, to serve

Method

1. Cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling, salted water for about 10 mins, until tender.
2. Meanwhile, fry the onion in the oil for 5 mins until soft. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes and chilli flakes, if using. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins then add the olives and cherry tomatoes. Shred half the basil leaves and stir through with the sardines. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
4. Drain the tagliatelle, mix with the sauce and top with the remaining basil leaves and the caper berries, if using. Serve with grated Parmesan.