Spicy Chili Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
Unsalted butter, 4 tbsp.
02 -
A small onion, chopped into small pieces.
03 -
Egg pappardelle, 1 lb.
04 -
Raw mild Italian pork sausage, 1 lb.
05 -
White wine, 1/2 cup.
06 -
Heavy cream, 1 cup.
07 -
Garlic, 6 cloves, minced finely.
08 -
1 tbsp of fresh oregano, chopped.
09 -
Freshly grated parmesan, 1/2 cup (extra for topping).
10 -
Tomato purée, one 24 oz jar.
11 -
Tomato paste, 1/4 cup.
12 -
Fennel bulbs, 2 small, diced.
13 -
Salt to taste and freshly ground black pepper.
14 -
A splash of olive oil.
15 -
Calabrian chili, 2 tbsp.
# Instructions:
01 -
In a large pot, get some heavily salted water to a steady boil.
02 -
Warm up a 3-quart pan on medium-high heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the pan bottom once hot. Toss in the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add a little salt and cook until browned, around 5 minutes. Take it out with a slotted spoon and keep it on a plate nearby.
03 -
Lower the pan heat to medium and melt the butter in it. Throw in the onion and fennel, giving them a stir every now and then. Cook until they soften and turn golden, which takes about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in some salt.
04 -
Add the pappardelle to the boiling pot of water. Stir it around and cook until it's just firm to the bite, following the directions on the bag.
05 -
Add the garlic to the soft veggies and cook for half a minute. Stir in the tomato paste along with the Calabrian chili. Let them cook together for another minute. Pour in the white wine and simmer it for a couple of minutes.
06 -
Put the browned sausage, tomato purée, oregano, and cream into the pan. Scoop out a cup of the pasta water (and a bit extra just in case). Stir it into the sauce. Let it bubble a bit, then lower the heat and slowly cook for 5 minutes, stirring every so often.
07 -
Drain the pasta, toss it back into the big pot, and add the sauce. Mix everything together. Slowly add the parmesan while stirring so it melts and evenly coats the pasta.
08 -
Taste for salt, then plate up. Sprinkle parmesan and a grind of black pepper on top before serving.
# Notes:
01 -
If the sauce is too thick, mix in some more pasta water. If it's too thin, simmer it until it thickens up.