Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers

Pappare means ‘to gobble up’, in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish (particularly in Tara’s house, where her husband Chris makes it most Sunday nights). I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce three days ahead, if you like, and keep it in the fridge until needed.

Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp rose harissa
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
55g pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
20g baby capers
500g dried pappardelle pasta (or another wide, flat pasta)
15g parsley, roughly chopped
120g Greek-style yoghurt
Salt 

1. Put the oil into a large sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring every once in a while, until soft and caramelised. Add the harissa, tomatoes, olives, capers and ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes start to break down. Add 200ml of water and stir through. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid from the sauce and continue cooking for 4–5 minutes, until thick and rich. Stir in 10g of the parsley and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with plenty of salted water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the pappardelle and cook according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain well.

3. Return the pasta to the pot along with the harissa sauce and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Mix together well, then divide between four shallow bowls. Serve hot, with a spoonful of yoghurt and a final sprinkle of parsley.

Yotam Ottolenghi has developed a cult following among foodies but his latest recipe book, Ottolenghi Simple, has the time-poor in mind. It’s the perfect cook book for busy parents who love good food, but who also need to get family-friendly recipes on the table – often in a hurry! These recipes involve minimal hassle, yet give maximum joy. Courtesy of Yotam Ottolenghi, we’ve selected our favourite dishes from this staple recipe book, to help keep your family fed this winter. Recipes extracted from Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, published by Ebury Press, RRP$65.00.

Photography: From Ottolenghi Simple, copyright © Jonathan Lovekin