Go Back
+ servings

Pasta alla Checca

Nora Ephron's take on the beautifully simple Italian classic recipe Pasta alla Checca. Linguine is mixed with a fresh, cold tomato sauce, with a light and flavorful result. This pasta is simple to put together and a wonderful way to use up fresh seasonal tomatoes.
5 from 3 ratings

Ingredients

  • 5 large tomatoes, 400-500g
  • 1 clove of garlic, sliced in two.
  • 1 cup a couple handfuls of torn fresh basil
  • ½ cup (120 mls) extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Chili flakes, to taste
  • 14 oz (400 g) linguine

Instructions 

  • First, blanch your tomatoes. Bring a pot of water to the boil and put your tomatoes in, whole, for about a minute. You aren't trying to cook them, just get the skin loosened.
  • Remove the water and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
  • Remove the skins, and then chop roughly and remove the seeds (whilst trying to keep as much of the juice as possible!)
  • Put the chopped tomatoes in a bowl with the olive oil, chili flakes, basil and garlic.
  • Set aside for a few hours, to let the flavors mingle.
  • When it's time to serve, cook your linguine according to package instructions. Drain and return to the pan.
  • Remove the garlic from the tomato sauce.
  • Mix the tomato sauce in with the linguine. (Do not have any heat on the pan at this stage - the tomatoes will warm up a little just by contact with the linguine but we don't want the end result to be piping hot).
  • Serve!

Notes

For a lower fat and calorie count, you can easily cut the olive oil in half. Add a couple extra tomatoes if you do - the extra juice from those will stop the sauce from becoming too dry.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g, Sodium: 160mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g