Just a little something that I often knock together when I’m starving but can’t be bothered to “properly cook”. This just requires a pan of boiling water and another with some gently heated olive oil. I usually have about 75g of linguine with half a ball of mozzarella (MUST be buffala and not that terrible, plasticky chewy stuff – believe me, you will taste the difference!) and then, to pad it out, a little rocket salad underneath or on the side. Here I had a whole ball of buffalo mozzarella (Tesco’s Finest, the best one from all of the supermarket chains) because I was utterly famished. I could eat the stuff all day long, I have to reign myself in sometimes!

In the olive oil (mild, not extra virgin, as we’re frying here and it’s not too good to overheat the E.V. stuff!) I softened a clove of crushed garlic and added some dried Oregano and a little dried red chilli. The linguine was in the pan of boiling water, it takes ten minutes to cook, so just enough time to make a fresh pasta sauce!

With about five minutes to go, I halved my cherry tomatoes and added them to the oil and garlic and chilli and mooshed them about a bit. I don’t like overcooking them because the skins come off and look weird, so I just soften them up for a few minutes and try not to move them about too much!

Pasta done, drained and into the oily pan for a good toss about with some salt and pepper added. The mozzarella is ripped into chunks over the top and a few basil leaves (these are wilted because I found them at the bottom of the fruit bowl! Ha!) scattered over the plate.

Mmmm. I ate this so fast I got indigestion!

For me, this is a total comfort food. I’d prefer to eat this over a Chinese takeaway or Fish ‘n Chips any day of the week! Mr AMR doesn’t agree, he likes a bit of MSG and artificial flavouring, but I just don’t think that flavours can be nicer than the ones straight from nature’s larder. Is that the correct phrase? I have no idea. I’m going to go, now, before I start churning out clichés!