Home Sweet Home

When Autumn comes along I find myself being happily homely, appreciating the simple things, like Phoebe sitting in the morning sunshine, lighting candles as evening falls and home cooking. I have a thing for wooden spoons. They have a gentle quality about them that always makes me feel wholesome, no matter what it is I'm cooking.

This meal is a chunky vegetarian pasta sauce and is an easy chop and stir kind of recipe - chop a few cloves of garlic, medium onion, zucchini (courgette), red capsicum (bell pepper), mushrooms, and green string beans. In a little extra virgin olive oil, gently cook the onion and garlic first, then add the remaining ingredients stirring until all is sweated down. Add a jar of passata (fresh tomato cooking sauce), a dash of red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar) and a handful of pitted kalamata olives and some chopped basil and oregano, if you have it. (add salt flakes and cracked pepper to taste).

Simmer for 20mins until it thickens a little, stirring occasionally (with your wooden spoon). Serve with your favourite pasta, grated parmesan cheese and handfuls of chopped continental parsley. Any leftovers are delicious as a filling in a toasted sandwich.