Celery Penne with Cherry Tomatoes | Quick Italian Pasta

Bring a large pot of plenty of lightly salted water to a boil for the pasta. Wash the celery stalks thoroughly, peel off any fibrous outer strings using a vegetable peeler, then cut into thin, about half-centimetre diagonal slices. Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice the garlic cloves.

When the water is boiling, add the penne pasta. Cook according to package instructions for about 9–10 minutes so that it stays 'al dente', pleasantly firm to the bite. Before draining, ladle out a cup (about 150 ml) of starchy cooking water to help emulsify the sauce.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes, then sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (be careful not to burn it).