Tuscan Pappardelle with Rich Fennel Pork Ragu

Peel the onion and cut in half through the root. Finely chop the onion, peel and finely chop the garlic and roughly chop the parsley.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Cut open the sausage (and discard the skin) then fry the meat in the pan for 5 mins until the edges start to crisp. Tip: Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into pieces.

Remove your pork from the pan and cook your onion in the same pan on medium heat for 5 mins (there should be enough oil left in the pan from the pork). Add your garlic and fennel seeds to the pan and cook for a further 2 mins.

Add the chopped tomatoes and your pork back to the pan and allow to thicken for 8-10 mins. Season with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. Tip: At this point add a sprinkle of sugar (if you have some), to lift the flavour of the tomatoes.

While your sauce is cooking, add the pappardelle to the boiling water and cook for 7 mins until ‘al dente’. 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.