Tomato and fennel pasta sauce

I always looked on with envy at Italian families sat outside eating big communal meals, the air filled with enthusiastic chatter and, of course, the incredible smells from the kitchen. It always seemed too perfect, like something from the film 'Eat Pray Love'. Yesterday however, I actually sat in on one such event, and I wasn't dreaming! We went back to the house I described in my Caramelised Orange Cake post for, I was told, a simple lunch and an afternoon in the garden. To the contrary, I arrived to the sight of six other members of friends and family, all carrying their own foodie contributions: prosciutto, fresh bread, new season olive oil, rosemary roasted potatoes, Mediterranean vegetable tartlet... all gathered round the beautifully laid garden table, under a fig tree, in the sunshine - sheer paradise.

Although admittedly all a little full from this selection of 'bring and share' antipasti, we did find room for my contribution to the 'primi' course - this tomato and fennel pasta. Tomato and fennel are famous friends, but the little bit of sweetness from the honey really brings compliments the tomatoes, and the mint is a refreshing change from the typical tomato & basil combination. To bring out the best in the sauce you definitely want to stir it through the pasta with a good helping of excellent olive oil and a few tbsp. of the starchy pasta water.

Recipe adapted from 'honest food'.

Serves 6 - 8

1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (about half cm slices in width)
1 large jar passata (roughly 600g)
1 white onion, sliced in the same way as the fennel
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tsp. honey
1 handful of mint leaves, roughly torn
Pinch of salt
4-6 tbsp. olive oil

- this makes quite a large portion so you can use some and keep the rest in the empty passata jar (in the fridge) for up to a week.
- I served this with wholewheat spaghetti which I just cooked to the packet instructions, then stirred through the sauce with a few tbsp. of the pasta water. To serve I merely topped it with some extra virgin olive oil, but you could certainly add parmesan if you fancy.

• Add the onion, oil and fennel to a large frying pan and cook on a low heat until translucent - roughly 10-15 minutes - this takes a lot less time if you slice the fennel and onion more thinly, so feel free to do so if you're in a rush.
• After about half the time, add the garlic and salt.
• Once translucent, add the honey, mint and passata and simmer for a further 10 - 15 minutes.
• You can serve it as it is, but I'd recommend roughly blending it with a stick blender to help thicken the sauce slightly, whilst still maintaining a bit of texture.