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spicy sausage, fennel & rigatoni pasta in a bowl with rosemary sprigs and parmesan

Spicy Sausage, Fennel, & Rigatoni Pasta

When laziness strikes, I crave the delicious simplicity of pasta. That same laziness gave birth to this sausage, fennel rigatoni recipe. There’s something satisfying about the sweet anise flavour of fennel cutting through the richness of sausages. However, the Nduja brings a unique smoky heat that elevates this dish to a whole new level.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 621
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 450 g Good quality pork Sausages
  • 1 Fennel Diced
  • 2 Red Peppers Diced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves Crushed
  • 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Fresh Rosemary Leaves Chopped
  • 1 Tsp Oregano
  • 1 Tbsp Nduja
  • 1 L Passata
  • 300 g Rigatoni
  • Salt / Pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmesan to serve

Method
 

  1. Remove the sausage meat from the casings using scissors.
  2. Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in the pan. Add the sausage meat and break apart with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage meat begins to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Heat the remaining oil. Add the fennel and peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic, fennel seeds, oregano, rosemary, and nduja. Cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add the passata and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Season to taste. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  5. In the meantime, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 10–12 minutes until al dente.
  6. Drain the pasta, then mix it with the sausage sauce. Spoon into serving bowls and top with as much grated parmesan as you like