AS soon as Elsie gets home from school, she wants to eat. And eat lots!

She’s always super hungry after a hard day in reception and so I try to be pretty organised with what I’m cooking for her tea that night.

But it’s not easy is it?!

Sometimes we don’t have stuff in the cupboards because it’s near our weekly food shop time. Other times she doesn’t fancy something I could make for her.

Thankfully though, I have a saviour in the kitchen. A foodie friend of mine that’s got me out of more eating pickles with Elsie than I can count.

Pasta. Lovely, lovely dried pasta.

With two parents who adore Italy and Italian food, it’s perhaps no surprise that our daughter has ended up being a pasta fiend. And thank goodness for that!

Because I know, no matter what, Elsie will always tuck into a great big steaming bowl of pasta if nothing else.

The well loved Italian pasta brand Barilla asked us to try out some of their super products recently to create a tasty family feast and immediately I knew straight away that a post school easy peasy tea was on the cards.

I’m not the fanciest cook in the world nor the best, but when it comes to whizzing up a delicious bowl of pasta, well let’s just say I’m not too shabby at all.

Here’s my ‘Easy Peasy Sausage Pasta’ created in collaboration with Barilla which will feed 3-4 hungry people (big and small).

EASY PEASY SAUSAGE PASTA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 good quality sausages
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 300g Barilla Tortiglioni Pasta (approx)
• Jar of Barilla Basilica (Tomato & Basil) Sauce
• A handful of green olives
• Parmesan, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and add the sausages. Fry for about 8 mins until golden and cooked through. Tip in the garlic and fry for 1 min.
2. Stir in the tomato purée, tomatoes and jar of sauce and season to taste. Then add olives chopped in half or whole.
3. While the sausages and sauce are cooking, boil the pasta according to instructions and drain. Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce and serve.
4. Top with shaved or grated parmesan and enjoy!

And there you have it, as simple as that!

The tea which I cooked last night was a hit with both Elsie and the husband, and was – as I promise – incredibly easy to make.

There’s even a bit left for me to tuck into for lunch later. *smacks lips*

Please do give it a whirl and let me know what you think if you can. And next time you see Barilla products in your supermarket, do buy some! Both the pasta and sauces are really delicious, of great quality and contain no nasties. No surprise really when you consider that they’re the biggest selling pasta brand in Italy.

Easy peasy food that everyone in your family will love! Bellissimo!

* Disclaimer – This post was created in collaboration with Barilla but as always all words, ideas and opinions are my own.