Farfalle with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives and Basil

I found this recipe in a magazine when we visited our friend’s guest house in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This is the same guest house on the banks of the Mooi River which hosts about half a dozen very large crocodiles. You can read about this here. My friend kindly allowed me to bring the magazine home but I didn't make the dish for a long while because I was looking for the special pasta: farfalle. I eventually found a packet of farfalloni in Woolworths in the city and could test the recipe.

Farfalle or farfalloni is translated from Italian as “cravatta a farfalla” (butterfly ties). According to the packet, it combines perfectly with hearty sauces and can be used in cheese-topped casseroles and pasta salads.

The completed dish was displayed on the cover of the magazine, Food & Home Entertaining. The write-up on the recipe inside the magazine states “Make it in a jiffy” and I can vouch for this; it is very quick and easy to make. It further states: "We love this dish for its ease of preparation and accessible ingredients. It also is great warm or cold, as a starter or main course." The recipe calls for anchovies, which my husband loves. I don’t eat anchovies because they have/had a face;) and as my husband is away in the Sudan, I made the dish sans anchois!

Here's the recipe...

Farfalle with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives and Basil. (Food and Home Entertaining, August 2006)

Serves 4

Sauté 2 finely chopped garlic cloves in 60ml olive oil over medium heat.
Add 500g cherry tomatoes and stir for 2 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, add 100ml olive oil, 8 capers, 1 anchovy,
8 green and black olives and 4 red spring onions, all finely chopped.
Add 60ml fresh basil.
Mix in the tomatoes and season to taste.
Cook 500g farfalle in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain, add to the sauce and toss to coat.
Serve with a generous helping of grated Parmesan.