Penne with Red Pepper Sauce and Spinach

Tomatoes aren't the only sweet red fruit that makes great pasta sauce. Red bell peppers are excellent too, especially paired with the faint licorice flavour of fennel seeds. Serves 4.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Toss 4 chopped red bell peppers, 2 roughly chopped large onions, 1 whole head of peeled garlic cloves, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of fennel seeds, and salt and pepper together in a large bowl until thoroughly coated. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking pan. Roast until peppers are softened and caramelized, about 1 hour.

Transfer the roasted vegetables into a medium saucepan and puree with an immersion blender, adding a splash of water to help it along. Alternatively, put into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Just prior to serving, reheat the sauce in a large pot. Add in chopped fresh oregano or thyme.

Cook one lb (454g) of penne in lots of boiling salted water. Toss the hot pasta with the reheated red pepper sauce and a few handfuls of baby spinach and serve immediately.