Jack-o’-lantern stuffed peppers with linguine and sausage ragù

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Cook the linguine according to pack instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Warm a large nonstick frying pan over a high heat and fry the sausagemeat for 10 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula or spoon as it cooks. When browned, remove and set aside. Without cleaning the pan, add the olive oil, onions, garlic, fennel seeds and courgette, then turn down the heat.

3. Cook, with the lid on, for 5 minutes, or until the onions have softened. Add the tomato sauce then return the sausagemeat to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes over a medium heat to reduce the sauce a little, ensuring the sausagemeat is cooked through with no pink meat remaining.

4. Meanwhile, cut the tops from the peppers, discard the seeds and keep the tops. Using a small knife, carve a face on each pepper. Place on the prepared oven tray. Mix the pasta with the ragù and use to stuff the peppers. You may have a little filling leftover to serve on the side.

5. Replace the pepper lids and roast for 25 minutes, or until piping hot and cooked through (turn the temperature down slightly if they brown too quickly). Tease out some of the pasta with a fork before serving to make them look more dramatic.