Chorizo is the wonderful spicy salami from Spain. If you are more of a purist, there are plenty of suitable salamis available from Italy.

This is a spicy dish, but you can vary the ingredients to suit your taste.

This recipe makes a handy standby, since all the ingredients keep a long time, and most people tend to have most in stock anyway. I usually have chorizo, as I also use it on pizzas and in other recipes.

1. Finely slice 1 large onion & 1 sweet pepper (capsicum/paprika), and place in a pan with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Add about a quarter of a level teaspoon of dried basil, about quarter of a level teaspoon of dried marjoram/oregano and about quarter of a level teaspoon of dried thyme (vary the quantity to taste).
3. Peel & thinly slice about 2 inches (you can use more if you want) of the chorizo, and add to the pan.
4. Fry the contents of the pan on a medium heat, until the onion starts to become transparent (i.e. is cooked) and the oil starts to go red from the chorizo.
5. Crush & finely chop 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, add to the pan and fry for another minute.
6. Add 1 can of chopped tomatoes (you can use tinned pizza tomatoes, with oregano included, in which case you won't need the dried marjoram/oregano).
7. Add half a glass of red wine, a level tablespoon of paprika powder, and about half a level teaspoon of sambal oelek.
8. Stir the pan thoroughly until the mixture starts to bubble, then reduce the heat.
9. Add tomatoe purée (about 1 heaped tablespoon) to thicken the sauce. If the sauce is too runny, add more purée; if it is too thick, add more wine.
10. Serve with pasta & a little grated cheese over the top (& of course black pepper).

As an alternative, you can use this sauce with gnocci.

1. Prepare the sauce, as above.
2. Place the gnocci in an oven-proof dish, and pour the sauce over it. Mix well, ensuring that all the gnocci is coated with sauce.
3. Cook in the oven at 200°C for 10 minutes. Stir the mixture every 5 minutes.
4. Cover the mixture with grated cheese (e.g. cheddar or gouda) and bake until the cheese is melted.