Vegetarian

Plum tomato, fennel and lemon linguine

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A glut of tomatoes – whether bought or homegrown – is the perfect way to bring the edible joy of summer into your kitchen and onto your plate. Make the most of these nutritious nightshades in all their juicy variety with this delicious recipe for tomato linguine.

Did you know that tomatoes have been linked to a number of health benefits? Those who eat plenty of these juicy fruits have been shown to have a 50% lower risk of death from cancer. Rich in lycopene, the red-coloured antioxidant carotenoid may also reduce the risk of pancreatic, lung and ovarian cancer in pre-menopausal women, and reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men.

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Wellbeing Wisdom

  • Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene which may help lower your risk of certain types of cancer
  • Tomatoes are also thought to help protect against skin damage from the sun (but not a safe alternative to sunscreen)

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 large fennel bulb, sliced lengthways
  • 1 large leek, finely sliced lengthways
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 250g baby plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 180g linguine pasta
  • 80g Parmesan, grated
  • Small handful of fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add 
in the fennel, followed by the leek. Cook for around 5 minutes until the fennel and leek have softened and are starting to turn golden. Add in the garlic, tomatoes, and lemon juice and zest, then stir carefully.
  2. Cook for a further few minutes before adding the white wine. Lower the heat and simmer.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the linguine in a pan of boiling salted water, according to packet instructions (approx. ten minutes). Drain the pasta when ready and add a little olive oil to loosen.
  4. Add the linguine into the pan with the sauce and stir in the Parmesan, setting some aside to sprinkle on top. Serve in big bowls and finish with salt and pepper, a few thyme leaves and the remaining Parmesan.