Pasta with crispy sausage, peas & mint 

SERVES 4

SAUSAGE

400g good-quality sausagemeat (for example, from Italian pork sausages seasoned with fennel)

1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves

1 tsp dijon mustard

sea salt and black pepper

PASTA

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 banana shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

100ml white wine or chicken stock

300g conchiglioni or pasta shapes of your choice

200g frozen peas

2 tbsp coarsely chopped mint leaves or small whole mint leaves

freshly grated pecorino to serve

Combine all the ingredients for the sausage together in a large bowl until well mixed. Heat the olive oil in a large wide sauté pan or saucepan over a medium heat, fry the shallots for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding the garlic just before the end. Crumble in dollops of the sausagemeat and continue frying for a couple of minutes until browned, breaking up the sausage a little but leaving some nibs. Add the wine or stock and simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced and the sausage is cooked through.

At the same time cook the pasta according to the packet, adding the peas for the last 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and peas, combine with the sausage mixture and finish with the mint and grated cheese.