spaghetti and tomato sauce

i made this last night after forgetting to defrost something for dinner. so i went through my fridge and grocery cupboard and ended up with this…

re-hydrate 40g of dried porcini mushrooms. you do this by placing the dried mushrooms in a jug and pouring boiling water over it, just enough to cover. leave to stand for about ½ an hour.

take a pot and fry 250g bacon until it’s just about crispy. add 2 cloves of garlic and 1 chopped red pepper until the peppers soften. add olive oil if the bacon wasn’t fatty enough. once re-hydrated, drain the porcini mushrooms (reserve the water), chop and add to the pepper mixture. now add a 50g tin of anchovies (drained) until they break up. add 6 large chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and the reserved water from the mushrooms. cook over a high heat until reduced to sauce consistency. stir in 60g pitted black olives and a good handful of freshly chopped chives and heat through. adjust the seasoning, but be careful with the salt because the bacon and anchovies are already quite salty.

boil 250g spaghetti until tender, drain and pour over the tomato sauce. serve with grated cheese and crusty bread.