PASTA WITH TOMATO AND CHORIZO SAUCE

(Pictured) Serves 2-3. You will need:

25g (1oz) butter 3 sprigs thyme 1 x 400g (14oz) tin of chopped tomatoes Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper A pinch of sugar 200g (7oz) chorizo, sliced into roughly ½ cm( ¼in) rounds A pinch of chilli flakes (optional) 100ml (3½fl oz) cream 250g (9oz) pasta such as farfalle, fusilli or penne

To serve, you will need:

A handful of freshly grated hard cheese (such as mature Coolea from west Cork or Parmesan) Put the butter in a saucepan on a high heat, and, when it is foaming, add the thyme sprigs, then add the tinned tomatoes and all of the tomato juice in the tin. If the tomatoes are not already chopped, break them up with a wooden spoon. Season them with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar. Add the chorizo slices and the chilli flakes, if you are using them. Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil, then turn the heat down low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10-20 minutes until the tomatoes are completely tender and the sauce has thickened. There should be no hint of raw flavour from the tomatoes; they should taste sweet and lovely.

Next, add the cream, and cook everything for a further five minutes, so the cream bubbles and thickens in the sauce. Then remove the saucepan from the heat.

As you are cooking the sauce, cook the pasta in salted water, according to the instructions on the packet. Then drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. Straight away, stir the pasta into the tomato sauce, along with a little of the finely grated hard cheese. If you’re serving this dish straight away, put it in warm bowls with more finely grated hard cheese scattered over the top. If you’re making it for the next day’s lunch, loosen it with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water before letting it cool (also see my Tip, above right).