PASTA COLANDER RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
  2. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Coarsely grate the Cheddar. Tear the stale bread into small chunks or blitz in the food processor.
  3. Tip the breadcrumbs into a bowl with one of the sliced garlic cloves, a good pinch of the oregano, the grated cheese and a pinch of sea salt and a sprinkling of black pepper. Drizzle with a little oil and toss to mix it all together.
  4. Pop the sausages out of their skins and break each one into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball shape and place in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle over a little oil and roll to coat. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
  5. Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the remaining sliced garlic and oregano, and the chilli flakes. Stir until the garlic is coloured, then tip in the tomatoes.
  6. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Cook the rigatoni according to the packet instructions, taking it off the heat 2 minutes early, so it’s al dente. Drain in a colander and tip into a large baking dish.
  8. Add the sausage balls, pour over the sauce and toss well. Sprinkle over the cheesy crumb mix and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbling.

Steps:

• 1. Crumble the chillies into a pestle and mortar, then bash with the fennel seeds until coarsely crushed. Put to one side.
  2. Heat a lug of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins or add the pork mince to the pan, really breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Fry for a few minutes, or until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then push it down once more so it resembles coarse mince.
  3. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelised.
  4. Stir in the oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Finely grate over the zest of 1 lemon, then squeeze over the juice and turn the heat down to low.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions.
  6. When the pasta has cooked but still has a bit of bite, drain it in a colander, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the meat pan, then toss to coat in all those lovely flavours, loosening with a good splash of the reserved cooking water, if needed.
  7. Grate in the Parmesan, then pick, roughly chop and add the parsley leaves. Taste and check the seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.
  8. Jamie’s top tip Remember to buy the best sausages you can afford – if you get cheap, dodgy sausages it just won’t work.