Spicy Creamy Pappardelle (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
02 -
1 tbsp oregano leaves, finely chopped
03 -
1 jar (24 oz) tomato purée
04 -
½ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
05 -
6 garlic cloves, minced
06 -
1 small onion, finely chopped
07 -
¼ cup thick tomato paste
08 -
2 tbsp Calabrian chili peppers
09 -
2 small fennel bulbs, diced into small pieces
10 -
½ cup white wine
11 -
1 lb egg pappardelle pasta
12 -
1 cup heavy cream
13 -
4 tbsp unsalted butter
14 -
1 lb uncooked mild Italian sausage
15 -
Olive oil, enough to coat the pan
# Instructions:
01 -
Fill a large pot with salted water and let it come to a rolling boil.
02 -
Pour olive oil into a sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the sausage. Break it up into bits with a wooden spoon, sprinkle lightly with salt, and cook until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to move it to a plate.
03 -
Lower the heat to medium, toss in some butter, and melt it. Stir in the onion and fennel, then season generously with salt. Cook, stirring every so often, until soft and browned (roughly 8 minutes).
04 -
Drop the pasta into the pot of boiling water, giving it a quick stir to avoid sticking. Let it cook until it's just firm enough to bite (‘al dente’), following the package guidelines.
05 -
Stir garlic into the fennel and onion mix, cooking for half a minute. Add tomato paste and Calabrian chili peppers, stirring and cooking for one more minute. Pour in white wine and simmer gently for 2 minutes to reduce.
06 -
Combine the tomato purée, heavy cream, oregano, and cooked sausage. Scoop 1 cup of the hot pasta water and stir it into the sauce. Let the sauce bubble up, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer with occasional stirring for 5 minutes.
07 -
Drain the cooked pasta and return it to the big pot. Mix in the sauce and toss well to coat. Bit by bit, mix in the parmesan cheese until the sauce is rich and clings to the pasta. Add extra pasta water if it needs to loosen up. Taste and add salt if needed. Dish out, top with a sprinkle of parmesan, and crack some fresh black pepper on top.
# Notes:
01 -
This creamy dish blends the heat of Calabrian chili peppers with the sweetness of fennel and the hearty flavor of Italian sausage.
02 -
Egg pappardelle is ideal for this meal, but feel free to swap it for another wide pasta if needed.