Twirl into the Sea: salsa spaghetti with sardines

Bring a taste of the coast to your table with tender spaghetti, savory sardines, and vibrant salsa — a simple, flavor-packed dish that's perfect for easy summer evenings.

Ingredients :

• 100g wholewheat spaghetti

• 2 large ripe tomatoesfinely chopped

• 1 red onion very finely chopped

• 15g pitted black Kalamata olive quartered

• ½ tsp finely chopped red chilli

• zest and juice ½ lemonto taste

• 4 tbsp shredded basilor 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

• 2 x 120g cans sardinesin olive oil, drained, oil reserved

Recipe

• step 1

  Boil the spaghetti following pack instructions. Meanwhile, mix the tomatoes with the onion, olives, chilli, lemon zest and basil or oregano. Heat the sardines either in the microwave or in a pan.

• step 2

  Drain the pasta, return to the pan and toss well with the tomato mixture. Add the sardines in chunky pieces. Season with lemon juice, pepper, and a little oil from the can, if you like.

About the author

Emma studied food and nutrition before focusing on furniture and design history at university in Manchester.

With over 20 years in senior product design and communications roles, she has ghostwritten for publications including The Times, Business Insider and The Financial Times.

In 2024, she and her husband, Craig, founded Maison d'Aquitaine to provide sustainably made kitchens for traditional French homes. They have lived in France with their children since 2011.

Emma is a vegetarian at home and a pescetarian in French restaurants! In her spare time, she works with the Dordogne-based animal charity, Phoenix Association.