Use this recipe as a base for any tomato ragù-based pasta dish! Simply swap out the chorizo and mushrooms for any other meat and vegetables of your choice. Get creative, stay skuxx.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
600 grams of short pasta (I used rigatoni, but penne or fusilli would work too!)
Oil for frying
500-600 grams chorizo
2 onions, diced
4-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2-4 dried bay leaves (optional)
2 heaped tablespoons of tomato paste
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
400 grams mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
Parmesan to garnish, grated
Parsley to garnish (optional), roughly chopped
Method:
Take the chorizo out of their casings: slice down the middle of the chorizo sticks and pull the meat inside away from the casings with your hands. This should create random clumps of chorizo. If you find this process too admin, you can simply thinly slice the chorizo instead, keeping the casings on.
Heat a large pot of salty hot water on a high heat.
In a different pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chorizo. Cook until browned, stirring occasionally. After around 5 minutes, use tongs to take the chorizo out of the pan, and set aside, leaving the chorizo-infused oil in the pan.
To the same pan, on a medium heat, add the onions, garlic, bay leaves and chilli flakes. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook for a further 3 minutes.
If needed, add a further 1-2 tablespoons of oil, then add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, or until reduced.
Add tinned tomatoes, half a tin of water, oregano, balsamic vinegar, sugar, the browned chorizo, plenty of salt and pepper (to taste) and stir together. When the mixture has started to bubble, reduce to low-medium heat and simmer for at least 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With 10 minutes of cooking time to go on the sauce, your pot of water should be at a rolling boil. When it has reached this point, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions or until al dente, stirring occasionally. This usually takes around 8-12 minutes.
Reserve a cup of pasta water and add it to your sauce mixture, stir and cook for a further 2 minutes.
When it's ready, drain your pasta and add the sauce mixture. Stir to combine. Serve with parmesan and parsley to garnish!