Recipe: harissa fennel rigatoni by Sophie Godwin
The harissa achieves a hit of flavour with minimal effort and the fennel adds complexity

Harissa is my go-to spice paste whenever I want to achieve a big hit of flavour with minimal effort, said Sophie Godwin, and it’s especially good in pasta. I love fennel, but even if you are usually put off by its strong flavour, do try it here. Caramelised and soft, it adds texture and complexity to what is basically a very simple cherry tomato sauce.
Ingredients: serves two
- 30g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 200g-250g rigatoni or tortiglioni (depending on how hungry you are)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 3 fat garlic cloves
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- handful of dill or parsley
- 1 lemon
- 2-3 tbsp harissa (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 30g parmesan, pecorino or veggie alternative (optional)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a small, dry frying pan over a medium heat until they start popping. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with salt and set aside.
- Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil. While the water is heating up, very finely slice the fennel bulb, picking off the green fronds for later. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the sliced fennel, along with a pinch of salt, and fry, stirring occasionally, for around 5 minutes until the fennel is just softened and starting to caramelise. Finely slice the garlic and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Add the garlic to the fennel and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more, then chuck in the cherry tomatoes, along with a ladleful of the water from the pasta pan. Bubble away, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down into a sauce. Reduce the heat to super low. Roughly chop the herbs and zest the lemon.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving half a mug of pasta water. Tip the pasta into the sauce, then add the harissa. Stir to combine, then drizzle over a bit more olive oil and enough reserved pasta water, until each piece of pasta is coated in the glossy sauce.
- Stir through most of the herbs and all the lemon zest. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Divide between two bowls, then grate over the cheese, if using. Top with the toasted seeds, along with the remaining herbs and the fennel fronds, to serve. Banging.
Recipe from “Sundays: A cookbook” by Sophie Godwin, published by Murdoch Books at £20. Photography by Caitlin Isola. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £15.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
Sign up for The Week’s Food & Drink newsletter for recipes, reviews and recommendations.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Lower Thames Crossing conundrum
The Explainer 'Symbol of Britain's sclerotic planning system' finally gets green light after years of delays – but at what cost for locals and the Treasury?
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: March 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 26, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
John McWhorter’s 6 favorite books that are rooted in history
Feature The Columbia University professor recommends works by Lyla Sage, Sally Thorne, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Book review: ‘Abundance’ and ‘Raising Hare: A Memoir’
Feature The political party of ‘abundance’ and a political adviser befriends a baby hare
By The Week US Published
-
A horseback safari in the wilds of Zambia
The Week Recommends Unforgettable trip offers chance to see wildlife and experience local villages
By The Week UK Published
-
Erica's harira soup recipe
The Week Recommends Gently spiced Moroccan soup-stew warms the soul
By The Week UK Published
-
6 spacious homes in lofts
Feature Featuring a Landmarks Conservancy award-winning apartment in New York City and a helicopter-workshop-turned-home in Washington, D.C.
By The Week US Published
-
Properties of the week: little gems
The Week Recommends Featuring homes in Kent, Cornwall and Fife
By The Week UK Published
-
Opus: 'charismatic' Ayo Edebiri can't rescue 'empty' cult horror
Talking Point Celebrity satire follows a 'well trodden' plot and struggles to find its voice
By The Week UK Published
-
Turner: In Light and Shade – an 'enlightening' exhibition
The Week Recommends 'Superb' collection of the celebrated artist's works on paper are on display at the Whitworth
By The Week UK Published