I’m sulking this weekend for three reasons. One – a cold, two – I’ve had to take my Christmas decorations down and three – I’ve left Italy this week and all the winter food markets with it.

So, I tasked myself to make a comforting dish to please all the family with a hint of festive colours in it to remind us of a happy holiday period. Fast and tasty and nutrient packed.

I have used some store cupboard ingredients and the roasted tomatoes that I’ve nearly always got on standby in the fridge. If you don’t have these handy, simply add cherry tomatoes at this stage.

Super Sausage Pasta – Serves 4/6

1 500g packet multigrain tagliatelle (I got mine in Sainsburys)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small onion, chopped

200g mushrooms, chopped

Glug of olive oil

6 good quality sausages, meat squeezed out of the cases

sprig of fresh thyme

200g roasted tomatoes/cherry tomatoes

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

1 oz butter

Handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

Seasoning

Fresh parmesan to finish

Take a wide based frying pan and sweat off the garlic and onion until golden and fragrant. Add the sausage meat and cook off until browned, pressing the meat down with a spoon until it breaks up into a mince like structure.

Add the thyme, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach. Season with freshly ground pepper and sea salt and cook down until the mushrooms and reduced and all is a good bright colour, approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain and reserve some of the cooking water. When you are ready to plate, add the butter to the sauce, melt and stir, then combine into the pasta in a large warmed dish ready to take to the table.

Add parmesan to taste and enjoy!

Buon appetito e felice anno nuovo xxx