Creamy Pappardelle Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
Egg pappardelle pasta, 1 pound
02 -
Raw mild Italian pork sausage, 1 pound
03 -
Unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons
04 -
One small onion, chopped into small pieces
05 -
Two small fennel bulbs, diced up
06 -
Olive oil, enough to coat the pan
07 -
6 garlic cloves, minced finely
08 -
Tomato paste, 1/4 cup
09 -
Calabrian chili peppers, 2 tablespoons
10 -
Heavy cream, 1 cup
11 -
1/2 cup of dry white wine
12 -
One jar (24 ounces) of tomato purée
13 -
Fresh oregano leaves, chopped (1 tablespoon)
14 -
Fresh parmesan cheese, shredded (1/2 cup), plus more for garnish
15 -
A dash of freshly cracked black pepper
# Instructions:
01 -
Fill up a big pot, add a lot of salt, and heat it until it boils.
02 -
Warm up a medium-sized stainless steel pan on medium-high heat. Pour in olive oil to cover the base lightly, toss in the sausage, and break it into small chunks with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle some salt while it's browning (takes about 5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to move it to a plate once done.
03 -
Turn the heat to medium and toss the butter into the same pan. Wait until it melts, then add the fennel and onion. Let them cook (stirring occasionally) for around 8 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelized. Sprinkle a bit of salt.
04 -
Add the pappardelle to the rolling boil, give it a quick stir, and cook until it's firm but not hard ('al dente'), as the package says.
05 -
Toss the garlic into the pan with the fennel mix for about 30 seconds. Follow with the tomato paste and Calabrian chili paste, stirring for a minute. Pour in the wine and simmer it down for 2 minutes.
06 -
Add the heavy cream, tomato purée, oregano, and cooked sausage back in. Scoop up a cup of the water from the pasta pot and stir it in. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let everything bubble gently for 5 minutes, giving it an occasional stir.
07 -
Strain the pasta and return it to the big pot. Pour over the sauce and mix until fully combined. Gradually stir in the parmesan until it's melted and clinging to the pasta. Adjust the thickness with more pasta water if needed. Add salt if it needs it, then plate with extra cracked black pepper and some parmesan sprinkled on top.
# Notes:
01 -
This creamy dish balances spicy peppers, sweet fennel, and flavorful sausage perfectly.
02 -
Egg pappardelle is the best fit, but you can swap in another wide pasta if you'd like.