Cheesy Chorizo and Pancetta Pasta Bake

Cut the shallot in half through the root, peel and chop into small 1cm pieces. Remove the core from the peppers and chop into roughly 2cm chunks. Cut the mushrooms into roughly 1cm slices and thinly slice the mozzarella.

Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook for 11 mins until al dente (you will only need three-fifths of the bag of rigatoni). Tip:‘Al dente’ simply means the pasta is cooked through but has a tiny bit of firmness left in the middle - taste it as you go to get it just right. When the rigatoni is cooked, drain and drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil to stop it all sticking together.

While your rigatoni is cooking, add 1 tbsp of oil to a large frying pan on medium high heat and throw in the chorizo and pancetta. Cook for about 4 mins or until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon. Tip: You want to leave the oil in the pan to cook the veggies.

When your chorizo and pancetta has been removed, add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan (no need to wash!), turn the heat to medium and add your shallot. Cook for 4 mins before adding your chopped pepper and mushrooms. Turn the heat up slightly and sprinkle in ½ tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper, mix together and cook for a further 7 mins before adding the chopped tomatoes. Refill your tins a fifth with water, swill around and add this into the pan as well. Tip: This way, you don’t have any wasted tomato! Gently simmer the sauce for 5 mins.

Stir the spinach into your sauce (it will wilt as you stir!), then take the pan off the heat. Add your rigatoni, chorizo and pancetta into the pan and mix it all together.

Add a third of your rigatoni mixture into an oven dish then layer over half your sliced mozzarella. Add another third of your rigatoni on top and layer over the rest of your mozzarella.Finally, spoon on the rest of your rigatoni, sprinkle over the hard italian cheese, ¼ tsp of salt and a really good grind of pepper. Pop in your oven to cook for 10 mins or until the top is slightly browned and bubbly.