Crafts and Life

1½ tbsp wok oil, plus a drizzle

250g pack PlantLiving: Plant & Vegetable Mince

125g frozen Cooks’ Ingredients Soffritto

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ x 25g pack coriander, stems finely chopped, leaves torn

2 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Gochujang Chilli Paste

400g Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes

1 tbsp essential Waitrose Tomato Puree

1 tsp maple syrup

180g conchiglie rigate

150g pack shiitake mushrooms, larger ones torn

1. Add 1 tbsp oil to a large frying pan over a high heat. When hot, tip in the mince and frozen soffritto. Fry for 8-10 minutes, breaking the mince up well, until the vegetables are tender
2. Stir in the garlic and coriander stems, cook for 1 minute more until fragrant, then stir in the gochujang paste, the tomatoes and a third of a can water, tomato purée and maple syrup. Season, then simmer briskly for 10 minutes, until reduced and rich.
3. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to pack instructions. When almost ready, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, then season and sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, until golden.
4. Lift the pasta into the sauce using a slotted spoon – it will carry some pasta water along – and toss well over the heat. Transfer to shallow bowls, then top with the mushrooms and coriander leaves and finish with a drizzle more oil, if liked.

Cook’s tip

Gochujang is a thick, spicy and savoury Korean ingredient, made with fermented beans and chilli. Leftovers are good in marinades, barbecue sauces or stirred into a revitalising veggie noodle broth. 

Serves 2 taken from waitrose.com

nb – we used Quorn mince, no maple syrup and only 100 g of pasta, next time we might increase the gochujang paste for a little more of a “kick”.