Sausage & Bacon Pasta Bake

I always make this in two dishes, one for supper,
one for the freezer.

Serves 8

FOR THE SAUSAGE & BACON MIX

445g skinless pork sausages, cut into small chunks

125g bacon bits

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

250g button mushrooms, sliced*

150 ml white wine

½ chicken stock cube
3-4 tbsp tomato passata

1 tbsp tomato purée

FOR THE SAUCE

50 ml olive oil

50g plain flour

600 ml milk

freshly grated nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
100g vintage cheddar cheese, grated

500g pasta spirals

300g fresh spinach

75g vintage cheddar cheese, grated

1.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until softened and golden.

2.  Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes, then stir in the sausage chunks and bacon bits and fry until starting to lightly brown. Stir in the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes more.

3.  Stir in the wine, stock cube, tomato passata and tomato purée. Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat.

4.  Put 50 ml oil and flour into a pan, stirring together, then gradually whisk in the milk. Gently heat, whisking, until thick. Grate in a good pinch of nutmeg, season with lots of black pepper and salt to taste and simmer for 2 minutes.  Stir in 100g grated cheese, then remove from the heat.

5.  Preheat the oven to 190°C.  Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Stir well, then cook uncovered for the time indicated on the packet, until tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach until it just wilts, then drain well in a colander.

6.  Pour half the pasta into a large, shallow oven-proof dish. Spoon over the sausage mix, then cover with the remaining pasta. Pour the white sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle with the cheese. (If you have made one for the freezer allow it to cool at this stage, cover tightly with tin foil and freeze.)

7.  Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

* I am lazy and use an egg-slicer to slice my mushrooms, it's very satisfying, but only if they're fresh...

Banana & Plain Choc Chip Muffins

Makes 12 large muffins

300g plain flour

175g sugar

15g baking powder

125 ml sunflower oil

50 ml milk

2 large eggs

3 large or 4 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

100g dark chocolate chips

3g bicarbonate of soda

12 hole muffin tray, lined with cases

1.  Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2.  Sieve the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together into a large bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3.  Mash the bananas (I save overripe odd bananas in a ziploc bag in the freezer for these sorts of recipes). 

4.  Lightly beat the egg then add to the oil, milk and mashed banana.

5.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix gently, until all the ingredients are just combined and no flour is visible.

6.  Divide the mixture equally between 12 muffin cases and bake in oven for about 20-25 minutes, until they are well risen and firm to the touch.

7.  Remove from the oven, and leave in the baking tray for 5 minutes to rest, before placing on a wire rack to cool.

Eat warm or cold. Store in an airtight container and eat within 3 days.