Deliciously Rounding Off A Busy Workday

I adore sundried tomatoes!  They magically seem to add color (how vibrant can you get?!) and taste (doesn't get more sunnier than this!) to just about any dish.  I am especially fond of them in my couscous salads and savoury cakes, but they also feel right at home in many of my pasta dishes.
This next recipe is truly a delight to eat as a weekday meal.  Not only because it's so quick to make, but also because it feels like a special treat!  I love how the sundried tomatoes add a little bit of an extra kick to the dish.  Served with a soft, round Merlot, it's really the perfect way to deliciously round off a busy workday.

Pasta with Sausage and Sundried Tomatoes
Serves 2-3
1 tbsp mild olive oil
2 small shallots
2 fat cloves of garlic
pinch of dried chilli flakes
300g sausage, rolled into little balls
10 sundried tomato halves, cut into strips
good squeeze of lemon juice, plus zest of half a lemon
2 tbsps roasted pinenuts
chopped parsley, to serve

Heat olive oil, add shallots, garlic and chilli flakes and gently sweat for about 5 minutes.  Take sausage out of casings and roll into little balls. Add the sausage to the pan and brown for approximately 10-15 minutes. After that, deglaze the pan with a squirt of lemon juice.  Meanwhile cook your pasta.  Add the sundried tomatoes and cook for a minute or two.  Toss with the cooked pasta, the roasted pinenuts and the lemon zest. Serve with the parsley.