NORTHERN PLANNER

I spent most of myweekend on the sofa, moaning about being ill. Despite this, along with missing a golfing for idiots session with friends (just call me Jim Hacker) and following drinking activities, it didn't turn out that bad. I got to cook some good stuff.

Mrs Northern was out, so I was able to make something something that's banned usually – seafood linguine. It's off the menu because she's pregnant, making shellfish a no-no and as far as I'm concerned, it needs a stinging dose of chilli.

Here's a very, simple version, takes 10 minutes. It's nowhere near the classic version, but it's simple and very tasty.

You'll need:

1 glass of dry white wine

Small carton of tomato passata

1 garlic glove, finely chopped

A good handful of cooked mussels

A good handful of cooked prawns

A good handful of cooked squid

Packet of linguine

Glug of olive oil

Two teaspoons of dried chilli

Teaspoon of dried parsley

Pinch of sugar

In a pan, ggently fry the garlic in the olive oil. Don't let it colour. You know it's ready when you can start to smell it. Pour in the white wine and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and add the passata, chilli and parsley.

In another, big  pan, fill it two third with water and start bringing to the boil.

Then turn up the heat on the sauce and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn right down to simmer and add all the fish. This will gently warm the fish through.

Once the water is boiling properly, cook the half the packet of pasta, should take ten minutes. Drain, return to the pan, add the sauce, whack the heat right up until the sauce starts boiling again, stirring it all the time.

Then you're done. Serve with crusty bread. If anyone likes it hotter, more chilli sprinkled on works a treat.

That's it, easy.