Pasta with cherry tomatoes and asparagus

Pasta with cherry tomatoes and asparagus

This is such a easy pasta dish. The 'sauce' makes itself under the grill while you cook the pasta. It's low in fat-and could be completely fat-free if you like. Serve with a crunchy green salad.

serves 4

300g (10oz) cherry tomatoes, stems removed

175g (6oz) asparagus tips

2 tablespoons of olive oil

225g(8oz) pasta (I like to use fettuccine)

Few springs of basil

Put a big saucepan of water on the stove to heat for the pasta . Set the grill to high.

Place the cherry tomatoes in a single layer in a grill pan. Brush the asparagus tips with half the olive oil, then cut the spears in a half and put these in a grill pan,too. Put under the grill.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for about 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the packet, but bite a piece a minute or so before the packet says it will be ready to make sure you get in nice and al dente. Drain in a colander, then return to the pan with the rest of the olive oil and pepper to taste.

While the pasta is cooking, keep an eye on the asparagus and tomatoes; the tomatoes need to be on the point of collapse and the asparagus just tender to the point of a knife and perhaps tinged brown in place. Add the tomatoes and asparagus to the pasta, tear in some basil and serve.

For a Fat-free version, grill the tomatoes as described (with no oil) but don't grill the asparagus; just throw this in the pasta a couple of minutes before the pasta is cooked. Drain them together and then stir in the seasoning, tomatoes and basil as before.