Ingredients - Serves 6-8

2 tbsp butter or olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

3 bell peppers, sliced into squares  

100g veduya paste 

3 chicken breasts, sliced into small pieces 

¼ cup red or white wine 

1 tin tomatoes + water 

1 stock cube

Black pepper 

120g baby spinach (you could add fresh basil if you have some)

3 heaped tbsp creme fraiche (I use reduced fat)

500g pasta (I used cavatappi by De Cecco)

250g grated cheddar & mozzarella 

Method

1. Set oven to 200C

2. Place a large wide saucepan on a medium low heat. Add the butter/ oil and onions. Sweat onions slowly until soft with the lid on. 

3. When soft, add the garlic and oregano and let this cook for a couple of minutes

4. Add the peppers and increase the heat to medium so everything stats to sizzle, cook for 3 minutes

5. Cook the pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water. ONLY COOK UNTIL VERY AL DENTE! Reserve about 2 cups of pasta water before draining. 

6. Stir in the veduya paste and let everything combine for a couple of minutes before pouring in the wine. When simmering, stir in the chopped tomatoes then fill the tin with the pasta water and add that to the pan along with 1 stock cube and lot’s of black pepper  

7. Let this simmer (without the lid) for about 10 minutes 

8. Reduce the heat, add the spinach and once wilted add the creme fraiche (you could add more black pepper at this point)

9. Combine the pasta and sauce (I do this carefully in the baking tray). You will need a large baking tray or you can use two. Once added to the tray and everything is combined, stop with some more dollops of creme fraiche and then the grated cheese. 

10. Place in the oven and then reduce the heat of the oven to 180C. Bake until the cheese is nice and golden. Enjoy!