Rigatoni With Sausage And Fennel

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil

  • 3 cups fennel, chopped (1 large bulb)

  • 1.5 cups yellow onion, chopped

  • 1.25 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds, crushed with mortar and pestle

  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  • salt

  • pepper

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 2/3 cup half and half

  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste

  • 1 lb rigatoni

  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Make

  1. Heat oil over medium heat in large heavy pot or dutch oven, and fennel and onion and saute for 7 min
  2. Add sausage and cook/crumble 7-8 min until browned
  3. Add garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and cook 1 min
  4. Add wine, bring to boil, and add heavy cream, half and half, and tomato paste
  5. Bring back to boil, lower heat and simmer 20 min until sauce has thickened
  6. Cook rigatoni in salted water
  7. Drain pasta and add sauce, cook over low heat for 5 min to allow pasta to absorb sauce
  8. Remove from heat and add parsley and Parmesan, reserving half to serve on the side

TIME | 0.75 hours

YIELD | 6 servings

TAGS | Italian, Pasta

PAIR | Bread, Salad