Pregnant Jools's Pasta

Goes with rocket and radicchio salad

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan on a high heat. Put the standard blade attachment into the food processor.

Step 2

Trim the spring onions, carrots, and celery. Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies (stalks removed). Add the sausages, 1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds, and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon this mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go, Keep checking on it and stirring while you, get on with other jobs.

Step 3

Put a large deep saucepan on a low heat and fill it with boiled water. Top up the saucepan with more boiled water if needed. Season well then add the penne and cook according to packet instructions, with the lid askew.

Step 4

Crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, then add the tinned tomatoes. Add a little of the starchy cooking water from the pasta to loosen if needed.

Step 5

Drain the pasta, reserving about a wine glass worth of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency. Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight to the table with the rest of the Parmesan for grating over. Scatter over a few basil leaves,