Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2½ cups uncooked pasta (I used fusilli)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 large fennel (quartered then thinly sliced)
  • 7.76 ounces cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 1x14.11oz can chopped tomatoes
  • ¾ cup passata
  • 4 tablespoons white wine
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
  • 1½ teaspoons oregano and smoked/sweet paprika (each)
  • ½ teaspoon onion granules
  • ½ cup parmesan, coarsely grated (plus 3 tablespoons finely grated; ensure it's vegetarian)
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt plus pepper to taste

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Boil the pasta for 4 minutes in salted water with the bay leaf then strain reserving the water (you will need 300 ml/1.25 cups). In the meantime prepare the other ingredients. In a pan/casserole dish heat 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the garlic, onion and fennel for 6 minutes stirring often. Add the wine and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the tomatoes, passata, pasta (including 300 ml/1.25 cups of the water it cooked in), oregano, smoked paprika, onion granules, parmesan, salt and pepper and stir thoroughly.
  • Dot the cherry tomatoes (cut side up) over the top of the casserole, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of finely grated parmesan over the whole thing and drizzle with oil.  Bake in the upper part of the oven for 20 minutes then increase the heat to 240 C and bake for 10-15 more minutes until the sauce has caramelised around the edges.
  • Remove from the oven and serve immediately.