Super-veg pasta

• red peppers↗2 2

  quartered and deseeded

• 2 tbsp olive oil↗
• 1 fennel↗

  bulb, roughly chopped

• 1 onion↗

  roughly chopped

• 1 large carrot↗

  roughly chopped

• garlic cloves↗2 2

  crushed

• ¼ tsp crushed chillies
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp tomato purée↗
• can chopped tomatoes400g 400g
• vegetable stock↗600ml 600ml
• 1 tsp caster sugar↗
• small handful basil↗

  leaves shredded

• bag fresh egg pasta↗500g 500g

  cooked

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the grill and pop the peppers, skin-side up, underneath for 10 mins or until beginning to char. Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and cut the flesh into strips.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the fennel, onion and carrot for 8-10 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic, crushed chillies, fennel seeds and tomato purée, cook for 2 mins, then add the canned tomatoes, stock and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 mins or until the vegetables are completely soft.

3. 3

   Take out a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce (this will later add texture), then blend the rest in the saucepan until almost smooth with a stick blender. Simmer for 5 mins to thicken, then stir in the reserved sauce, shredded basil and peppers. Serve with the pasta.