Paccheri With Pork Sausage

Step 1: To make the ragu, put the tomatoes in a container and blend with a stick blender until smooth and set aside.

Step 2: Slice the sausages into chunks or if you prefer, remove the skins from the sausages and break up the sausage meat,.

Step 3: Heat 100ml olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan of flame-proof casserole dish over medium heat and add the sausage meat in batches and cook until nicely coloured and then remove to a plate or tray.

Step 4: Heat remaining olive oil in the same pand and add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes without colouring and then stir in the celery, carrot, chilli, bayleaves and parsley and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the vegetables have solftened.

Step 5: Mix in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes, then return the seared sausage meat to the pan and deglaze the pan with the white wine and bring to the boil and then add the pureed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes or until the ragu is rich and flavoursome and adjust the seasoning if need.

Step 6: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the paccheri and give it a gently stir so the pasta doesn't stick together and cook for 6 minutes or until al dente and then drain the pasta as soon as it is ready and add to the ragu and give a good mix and serve topped with freshly grated parmigiano.