A quick pasta dinner that packs plenty of flavour, with little effort

Hugh Higgins is the head chef at Allta restaurant in Dublin 2

This is a very simple and quick recipe that packs plenty of flavour, with little effort. It uses ingredients that are mainly jarred to give the base flavours. My fridge is stocked with condiments that will add big flavours with little work.

I love the saltiness capers bring, but this recipe is just a guideline. Olives would be a lovely addition, as would mozzarella or feta.

The main star is the ’nduja, this spicy spreadable sausage will give the sauce a lovely hum of spice. I always have a jar of it in the fridge. It can go with most things, such as scrambled eggs or on the top of a pizza, so it is great to have on hand.

Get creative with risotto by using Jerusalem artichoke

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What you’ll need:

Serves 2
1 small white onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp 'nduja paste
1 roast pepper, sliced
200g cherry tomatoes, halved lengthways
2 tbsp capers, with some brine
200g dried spaghetti
100g rocket
20g basil, roughly chopped
30g butter
Olive oil and Parmesan to finish

How to cook it

1 Place a pot of salted water on to boil and add the spaghetti.

2 In a pan on a medium heat, sweat the onion down in some oil until soft.

3 Add the nduja and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.

4 Add the tomatoes and allow to soften.

5 Add the peppers and capers with a little of the brine, which will add some acidity and saltiness.

6 Strain the pasta when cooked, reserving a little of the water in the pot. A few tablespoons should be good.

7 Add the butter to the water to make an emulsion and then add the pasta back to this and cook for another 30 seconds; you should have a nicely coated spaghetti.

8 Add the nduja sauce to the pasta along with the rocket and basil, season with some salt and pepper.

9 Finish with some olive oil and Parmesan and serve.