One-pan spaghetti with nduja, fennel & olives

A spicy sausage pasta dish with a difference. Using the cooking water helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives the dish more body. A silky smooth sauce, perfect pasta and one pan to wash!

Ingredients

400g spaghetti

3 garlic cloves , very thinly sliced

½ fennel , halved and very thinly sliced

75g nduja or sobrasada paste

200g tomatoes (the best you can get), chopped into chunks

75g black olives , pitted and sliced

2 tsp tomato purée

3 tbsp olive oil , plus a drizzle

2 tsp red wine vinegar

40g pecorino , plus extra to serve

handful basil , torn

Method

STEP 1

Boil the kettle. Put all the ingredients except the pecorino and basil in a wide saucepan or deep frying pan and season well. Pour over 800ml kettle-hot water and bring to a simmer, using your tongs to ease the spaghetti under the liquid as it starts to soften.

STEP 2

Simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 mins, tossing the spaghetti through the liquid every so often until it is cooked and the sauce is reduced and clinging to it. Add a splash more hot water if the sauce is too thick or does not cover the pasta while it cooks. Turn up the heat for the final few mins to drive off the excess liquid, leaving you with a rich sauce. Stir through the pecorino and basil, and serve with an extra drizzle of oil and pecorino on the side.