Cook the pasta. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni until just al dente. Reserve a mugful of the pasta water before draining.

Brown the sausage. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces, and cook until well browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.

Cook the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the same pan and cook until softened, scraping up the browned sausage bits from the bottom. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Build the flavour base. Add the tomato purée, thyme, oregano, Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato purée darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine, if using, and let it bubble and reduce briefly. Add the concentrated stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.

Make the sauce. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then add the diced bell pepper and roasted pepper stir-through sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the pepper begins to soften and the sauce starts to thicken.

Return the sausage. Add the browned sausage back to the pan and stir through the sauce. Simmer gently until the sausage is cooked through and the sauce is rich and thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Add the pasta. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss thoroughly until coated. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.

Serve. Divide between bowls and finish with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.