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A hearty and colourful dinner party centerpiece with a spicy kick.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Oven temperature: 180ºC,

What

200g chorizo sausage, sliced
2 large red or yellow peppers, deseeded and sliced
1 Zucchini, cut into 2cm cubes
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
400g canned chopped tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes chopped)
Handful fresh basil
400g rigatoni or penne paste
125g mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
100g parmesan cheese, grated

How

In a large frying pan cook the chorizo sausage for about two minutes until golden. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon leaving the lovely flavoured oil in the pan. Add the peppers, onions and zucchini and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes until golden around the edges. Add the garlic and cook for a minute then add the vinegar stir until bubbling and reduced. Add the chopped tomatoes and torn basil and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile in a large pan of water, cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the sauce and the cubes of mozzarella and mix well. Transfer to a large dish and sprinkle over the parmesan cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and serve with a large mixed salad and some crusty Italian bread.

* I also added a chili pepper from my garden since the chorizo was a bit bland.