One Pot Spring Sausages & Smoked Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Heat a pot (with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and sugar

Reduce the heat to very low and cook the onions for 8-10 min or until they have softened and caramelised, then, transfer to a plate (save the pot!)

While the onion caramelises, score your sausages by drawing the knife lengthwise along the sausage – but don't cut all the way through!

Peel the skins away from the sausages and discard (clean hands is the best way!)

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Boil a kettle

Once the onions have caramelised, transfer to a plate and increase the heat to medium high

Once hot, add the sausage meat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you go

Cook for 4-5 min or until the sausage meat is starting to brown

Once browned, add the chopped garlic to the pot and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your pasta and half the reserved caramelised onion (you'll use the rest later!) to the pot with 400ml [600ml] [800ml] boiled water

Bring to the boil over a high heat, then give everything a good mix up

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 7-8 min or until the pasta is tender, with a slight bite and there is a little water remaining

Tip: Don't drain the remaining water!

While the pasta is cooking, grate your smoked cheddar cheese finely

Combine 3/4 of the grated cheese (you'll use the rest later!) with your cornflour – this is your floured cheese

Set aside the remaining grated cheese

Chop your chives finely

Wash your salad, then pat dry with kitchen paper

Once the pasta is tender, add the floured cheese with a splash of milk and increase the heat to medium, cook for 2-3 min or until bubbling and thickened and the sausage meat is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Add your smoked sea salt flakes and give everything a good mix up until well combined

Remove the pan from the heat and top with the remaining smoked cheese (don't stir!) and set aside with the lid on for 1-2 min or until the cheese has melted

Once melted, garnish with the remaining caramelised onions and chopped chives – this is your spring sausage & smoked cheddar mac & cheese