1 tablespoon olive oil
80–100 g (2¾–3½ oz) hot salami, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon honey
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)
1–2 pinches of dried chilli (depending on your heat tolerance), plus extra to serve
1 × 400 g (14 oz) can whole tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sprig of basil (optional)
20 g (¾ oz) butter
1 handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan, plus extra to serve
200 g (7 oz) your favourite dried pasta

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the salami for a few minutes, until the edges start to curl up. Drizzle over ½ teaspoon of the honey and toss, then scoop out the salami and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and sweet. Add the tomato paste and dried chilli and stir. Cook for 1 minute until the tomato paste has turned a deep, fiery red, then add the tomatoes. Use scissors to snip them up, or mash with a fork. Rinse the can with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and pour that in too. Mix well, season, then add the basil.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then turn down the heat. Let the sauce bubble away for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn’t catch. Add the remaining honey and stir. Taste and adjust – you might need a squeeze more honey to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, or a pinch more salt. Throw in the butter.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil and season generously with salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving ½ cup (125 ml) of the cooking water. Add the pasta to your sauce and give it a forceful stir, adding a splash of cooking water and the Parmesan to transform it into a silky, creamy sauce. Stir in half the salami, then divide the pasta into two bowls and top each with the remaining salami chips. Serve with extra cheese and chilli flakes.