Tomatoey Sausage & Fennel Tortiglioni & Chorizo

Boil a full kettle

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel and finely dice your red onion[s]

Chop your cherry tomatoes in half

Adding chorizo? Fry your diced chorizo and cook for 4-5 min or until crisp

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the diced onion, then squeeze your sausage meat from the skins into the pan (clean hands is the best way!) and discard the skins

Break the sausage meat up into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon and cook for 6-7 min or until the onion has softened and the sausage meat is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Add your pasta to a pot of boiled water with a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat, then cook for 7-9 min (10-12 min for wholewheat) or until cooked with a slight bite

Once done, drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the starchy pasta water

Once the sausage meat is cooked, add the halved tomatoes and fennel seeds (not a fan of aniseed? Only add a little!) to the pan with your dried oregano

Season with a pinch of salt and sugar and cook for 3-4 min or until the tomatoes have begun to break down

Meanwhile, dissolve your chicken stock mix and tomato paste in 150ml [225ml] [300ml] boiled water – this is your tomato stock

Add the chopped garlic, tomato stock and chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) to the pan and cook for a further 4-5 min or until the sauce has slightly thickened

While the sauce is thickening, grate your cheddar cheese

Chop your basil finely, including the stalks

Once the sauce has slightly thickened, add the drained pasta to the pan with a splash of the starchy pasta water

Cook for a final 1-2 min or until the sauce begins to coat the pasta

Tip: If your pasta is looking a little dry, add another splash of starchy water!

Stir through the chopped basil – this is your tomatoey sausage & fennel tortiglioni