Garlic Roasted Tagliatelle with King Oyster Scallops

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C. Wash and place the tomatoes onto a lined baking tray. Cut off the top 1cm of your garlic bulb to expose the cloves and place it onto a 6in x 6in piece of kitchen foil. Drizzle half of the olive oil on top, then close the foil around the bulb and place it on the baking tray.

Drizzle the remainder of the olive oil over the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then transfer the entire baking tray into the hot oven and roast at 200°C for 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened and lightly charred around the edges.

In the meantime, cook the tagliatelle according to the package instructions.

Heat the rapeseed oil in a large non-stick pan over a high/medium heat. Slice the king oyster mushrooms into discs of roughly 1in thickness and score them lightly with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern. Place the mushroom discs into the hot pan and fry on each side for about 2 minutes before you sprinkle in the salt. Fry for 8-12 minutes, flipping regularly until both sides of your mushroom discs are golden and the edges caramelised. Set aside until ready to serve.

Once roasted, transfer the tomatoes to a blender without the stem, but keep 1 or 2 strips of tomatoes on the vine aside to decorate your finished pasta later. Squeeze out the garlic bulbs and add them into the blender. Pour in the tomato passata and then blend until you get a smooth sauce. Lastly, stir in the balsamic glaze and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix the cooked tagliatelle into the sauce, and assemble your meals: Top the pasta with the mushroom scallops, drizzle with a little extra balsamic glaze if you’re feeling fancy, decorate with some roasted tomatoes on the vine and garnish with fresh basil.