Sweet cherry tomatoes get even sweeter when oven-dried, making this an extra-special pasta dish.

Ingredients

• 500 grams cherry tomatoes
• salt and pepper
• 1 tblsp sugar
• 4 tblsp olive oil
• 4 courgettes, trimmed and grated
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup cream or chicken stock
• 2 tblsp chopped fresh thyme
• 400 grams rigatoni or similar pasta shapes
• boiling salted water

Method

1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and toss through the sugar.
2. Place them cut side up on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Cook at 120°C for 11/2 -2 hours until the cherry tomatoes are dry but not burnt. Keep in a lidded container in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and quickly cook the courgettes and garlic until the courgettes are just wilted. Toss though the cherry tomatoes, cream and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes until al-dente. Drain well and quickly toss with the courgette mixture.
5. Serve immediately.