Fennel Sausage Tagliatelle by Giovanna Ryan

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat and add the sausagemeat. Use a spoon to break the meat up into small pieces then leave to brown. Turn the pieces over and brown on the other side. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on a plate.

Turn the heat down to low and add the garlic to the same pan. Cook gently for a couple of minutes to soften but be careful not to brown it. Add the fennel seeds, if using, then add the cooked sausage meat and black pepper. Stir to combine and cook for a further two or three minutes.

Add the wild fennel and tomato pesto, stir to combine, then add the passata. Turn the heat up to medium and simmer whilst you cook the pasta. The sauce should be quite thick but not sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it does this, add a splash of water.

Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook for around 7 minutes until al dente.

Add a ladle of the pasta water to the sauce and bring back to the boil. Cook for a minute or so until you have a shiny, thick sauce.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and cook for another minute.

Remove from the heat and add the basil leaves. Divide between four pasta bowls and serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan.