PASTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE, BASIL AND MUSTARD

Of all the thousands of recipes I’ve published over the years, it’s this one – with pasta, sausages, mustard and cream – that I am told is ‘the favourite’. It does indeed tick many boxes – of comfort food, cheap supper and fast fix. Keep the heat sprightly, so the sausage browns and a sticky goo is left in the pan. Nuggets of joy.

Preparation 10 minutes Cooking 15 minutes Serves 2 250G DRIED PASTA (ANY TUBE OR SHELL SHAPE)

4-6 SPICY PORK SAUSAGES OLIVE OIL

150ML WHITE WINE

A PINCH OF DRIED CHILLI FLAKES

LARGE HANDFUL OF BASIL LEAVES 1 TBSP WHOLEGRAIN MUSTARD 200ML DOUBLE CREAM

1 Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Salt it generously. Split the sausages open and take out the filling. Warm a thin film of olive oil in a frying pan. Discard the sausage skin, crumble the meat into the hot pan and fry until sizzling and cooked through, about 5 minutes, over a moderately high heat.

2 Add the pasta to the boiling water. Pour the wine into the sausage pan and let it bubble a little, scraping at any sausage stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the chilli flakes, roughly chop or tear the basil leaves and add those, too. Add a little salt and the mustard, pour in the cream and bring slowly to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring now and again.

3 When the pasta is tender, about 9 minutes after coming back to the boil, drain and tip into the creamy sausage sauce. Serve piping hot.