Should you be looking for a completely moreish dish that ticks all of the flavour bomb boxes then look no further. Sobrasada is similar to ‘nduja but more mild in the heat department, making this dish a winner even amongst the fussiest of friends. A true 15 minute meal, this dish comes right to the rescue in times of dire need.   

Serves four  

Ingredients:

• 500g mafalde pasta  
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil   
• 1 eschallot, very finely diced 
• 2 heaped tbsp sobrasada  
• 2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
• 2 tbsp tomato puree, dissolved in approx 240ml warm water 
• 1 heaped tbsp mascarpone 
• Grated Pecorino to serve 

Method:  

 Sobrasada sauce 

1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to boil. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, and begin to gently cook the eschallot until soft and translucent, but not browned. Do so over a low heat for around 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.  
3. Add the sobrasada and use a spoon to help break it down, mixing it well with the eschallot. After a few minutes, add the sliced garlic and continue to cook until fragrant.  
4. Pour in the tomato concentrate and allow the sauce to cook down until it’s reduced and a little jammy.  
5. Turn the sauce off the heat while you cook the mafalde.   

Finishing touches  

1. When the mafalde is cooked to al dente, put the sobrasada sauce back on the heat, and add the mascarpone, followed by the pasta - using tongs to transfer it directly to the sauce, making sure to take some of the pasta water along with it.  
2. Toss, stir and agitate to combine - check for seasoning. 
3. Divide between four bowls and serve with grated Pecorino.

NB: you can substitute the sobrasada here for ‘nduja if you’re after something a little more fiery, or simply throw in some chilli flakes at the same time as the sobrasada to heat things up.  

This recipe was created by Gabriella from @_noregrettispaghetti, check out Gabriella's instagram page here or website here. 

Gabriella is a Londoner born to Armenian/Canadian parents, with a love of all things Italian, especially pasta. She fell in love with food between the pages of her mum’s Reader’s Digest cookbooks, and at the table of her grandmother’s Cypriot kitchen, watching dolma be rolled and lahmajun made. 

When she’s not making her favourite carb, she can be found sharing some of her recipes on her blog, drinking far too much coffee, or hanging out with her dog, Gordon.