Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 400 g higher-welfare sausages
• 700g Pappardelle Pasta
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 bulb of fennel, trimmed and finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 small dried red chilli
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
• 250 ml white wine
• 1 x 700 ml jar of passata
• Parmesan cheese, for grating
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Cut a slit into each sausage and squeeze the meat out into a large ovenproof pan with a little olive oil. Cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as you go. Add the chopped fennel, and fennel seeds, then crumble in the dried chilli. Finely chop and add the rosemary leaves, then cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the fennel has softened. Pour in the wine and passata and top up with 400ml water, give it a stir, then pop the lid on. Transfer to the oven and leave to blip away for 2 hours – check on it every 40 minutes, stirring and adding a splash of water if it starts to dry out

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to packet instructions, then drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Taste and check the ragu seasoning, then mix through the pasta, loosening with a splash of cooking water if needed. Divide between your plates or bowls, and finish with a grating of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.