Sun-dried tomato and sardine spaghetti

Ingredients

• 1/2 vegetable stock cube
• 1 x 280g jar sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1 tbsp oil from the jar
• 100 g lighter crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 25 g parmigiano reggiano, finely grated, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 360 g wholewheat spaghetti
• 2 x 120g tins sardines in spring water, drained
• handful basil leaves (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Dissolve the ½ stock cube in 100ml just-boiled water, then top up with 75ml cold water. Use a fork to drain the sun-dried tomatoes from the jar onto a kitchen paper-lined plate. Reserve 40g tomatoes in a bowl, then put the rest in a blender with 1 tablespoon of oil from the jar and the crème fraîche, tomato purée, parmesan, peeled garlic clove and stock. Blitz until smooth, season to taste and set aside.

2. 2

   Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, slice the remaining sun-dried tomatoes and break the sardines into small chunks. Once the spaghetti is al dente, reserve a mugful of the cooking water, then drain. Return the pasta to the pan, stir through the tomato sauce and warm through over a low heat for 2 minutes. Add enough of the cooking water to give a silky coating consistency. Gently stir through the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and sardines until combined. Divide among shallow bowls and top with a grind of black pepper, basil and extra parmesan, if liked.