Serves 4-6
Vegetarian

For the roast peppers

Olive oil
2 peppers, choose from red, yellow or orange (green peppers can be bitter)

For the tomato sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (or 450g/1lb tomatoes, peeled and chopped)
2 tbsp chopped herbs, such as basil, parsley, marjoram or tarragon
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar

To serve

450g (1lb) dried pasta, such as penne, fusilli or farfalle
1 x 150g (5oz) ball of mozzarella, broken into little pieces of 1cm ( 1/2in)

1 Preheat the oven to 230degreesC (450degreesF), gas mark 8. Rub some olive oil over the peppers, then pop on a baking tray or glass plate and put into the hot oven.

Cook for about 40 minutes or until very soft and a bit black. Take out of the oven, put into a bowl, cover with cling film and let cool. When cool, peel the skin off the peppers. Don't rinse in water, or you'll lose the flavour. I find it helps to have a bowl of water nearby in which to rinse my hands. Using a butter knife, scrape out the seeds. Tear or slice the peppers into strips.

2 To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan.

Add the onion and garlic, toss until coated, cover and sweat over a gentle heat until soft and a tiny bit golden.

Add the tomatoes and half the chopped herbs, mix and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Gently simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes or until softened. Add the remaining chopped herbs at the end.

3 Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just cooked, then drain and toss with the tomato sauce, add the roast peppers and mozzarella, season to taste and serve.