Friends & Family Spaghetti With Mozzarella Garlic Bread

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6, then crush your garlic open by squashing it with the side of a knife and discard the skins, then heat a pot (with a matching lid) over a medium-high heat with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a knob of butter

Once melted, add the peeled garlic with most of your basil (save some leaves for a garnish!) and your chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and cook for 1-2 min or until very fragrant – this is your basil oil mix

Once fragrant, transfer the basil oil mix to a food processor and reserve the pot

Blitz until smooth – this is your garlic & basil oil

Tip: Add a small splash of water if it's looking a little dry!

Set aside for later

Wash your salad and pat dry with kitchen paper

Boil half a kettle

Peel and chop your brown onion[s] in half

Return the reserved pot to a medium heat with a knob of butter

Once melted, add the onion halves (cut-side down) and cook for 2-3 min or until slightly browned

Once slightly browned, add your chopped tomatoes with your vegetable stock mix, 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and 150ml [200ml] [250ml] boiled water

Bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, with the lid on, for 12-15 min or until thickened – this is your tomato sauce

Meanwhile, drain your mozzarella, then pat and squeeze as much liquid out as you can with kitchen paper and tear the drained mozzarella into rough, bite-sized pieces

Reboil a full kettle

Score your ciabatta[s] in a deep criss-cross pattern, taking care not to cut all the way through

Add the scored ciabatta[s] to a baking paper-lined baking tray (or two!)

Spoon half the garlic & basil oil (save the rest for later!) over the scored ciabatta and put the tray[s] in the oven for 8-10 min or until golden – these are your garlic ciabatta[s]

Add your spaghetti to a pot of boiled water and bring to the boil over a high heat, cook the spaghetti for 7-9 min or until cooked with a slight bite and once done, drain the spaghetti

Once the tomato sauce is ready, discard the onion halves and add the remaining basil oil with the cooked spaghetti, half your grated Italian hard cheese (save the rest for a garnish!) and a pinch of salt and pepper and mix until combined, then set aside with the lid on for 2-3 min for the flavours to develop – this is your tomato spaghetti with basil oil

Once the ciabatta[s] are golden, remove the tray[s] from the oven and top with the torn mozzarella, then return the tray[s] to the oven for a final 2-3 min or until melted – these are your cheesy garlic bread[s]