Pasta alla Salsiccia

By Culiora

A classic Italian pasta with crumbled fresh salsiccia, white wine, crushed tomatoes, and a touch of cream. The rich, fennel-scented sausage creates an intensely savoury sauce that clings perfectly to ridged pasta like rigatoni.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Total time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 400 g rigatoni or penne rigate
• 400 g fresh Italian pork sausage (salsiccia), casings removed
• 1 pcs yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 clove garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 400 g canned crushed tomatoes (polpa)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 100 ml heavy cream (35% fat)
• 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (plus extra for serving)
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (plus salt for pasta water)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (about 4 litres with 1.5 tbsp salt) to a boil over high heat.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled salsiccia meat and cook, breaking it into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and crispy at the edges, about 5–6 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes directly to the sausage fat. Cook stirring frequently until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
4. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and slightly darkened. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the canned crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Meanwhile, drop the rigatoni into the boiling water and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente according to package instructions (typically 9–10 minutes). Reserve 150 ml of starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
7. Pour the heavy cream into the simmering sausage sauce and stir well. Add the drained pasta and 50 ml of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Cook together over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, tossing vigorously until the sauce thickens and glazes the pasta evenly (add another splash of pasta water if too thick).
8. Remove from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped parsley. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste, and serve immediately with extra cheese at the table.