Nigel Slater's Conchiglie With Tomato and Basil Recipe

A useful little pasta recipe, where the sauce is made in less time than it takes the pasta to cook.

The recipe

Cook 150-200g of conchiglie in boiling salted water, then drain briefly and tip back into the pan. Pour 150ml of olive oil, something nice and fruity, into a blender or food processor. Add the leaves and tender stems of 20g of basil. Quarter a beefsteak tomato and add it to the basil and oil with a little sea salt, then blitz. Try to stop before the tomato is completely puréed, so you have a rough slush. Pour into the drained pasta and toss gently. Serves 2.

The trick

Over processing the tomato, oil and basil will end up in soup. What you are after is something with a bit of texture. Large basil leaves, deeply peppery, are the ones to use if you can find them. There are only three ingredients here, so go for a really fragrant, fruity oil. I don't heat the tomato mixture, preferring to let it warm gently when it is tossed with the hot pasta.

The twist

Try another herb. A mixture of oregano and parsley would work (more parsley than oregano), as would tarragon. Pasta shapes are up to you, but this works best with the sort of shape that will hold some sauce.Simple and oh so easy: pasta, basil and tomato Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin for the Observer