Crawfish Bolognese With Fennel Sausage, Wilted Greens, Strozzapreti Pasta, Spicy Cream Sauce Recipe

Heat a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter; when butter foams, add diced fennel and onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and chopped thyme. Cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring to avoid browning the garlic.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the sausage (casings removed) to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if the pan becomes too oily, leaving a thin coating for flavor.

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Add the diced canned tomatoes with their juices, gently breaking up larger pieces with the spoon. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Reduce heat to low–medium. Stir in smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Simmer the sauce, partially covered, 10–12 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken.

Stir in the half-and-half and heavy cream, then add hot sauce. Simmer gently 3–4 minutes; the sauce should be creamy and slightly reduced. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta. Add the chopped greens to a heatproof colander or add directly to the boiling water for 30–60 seconds to blanch until just wilted; alternatively, sauté them separately: heat 1 tbs olive oil in a small skillet over medium, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and the greens, cooking until just wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess liquid, then toss with lemon zest and 1 tsp lemon juice; set aside.

Cook strozzapreti in the boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water then drain the pasta.

With the sauce on low heat, add the crawfish tails to the pan and cook gently just until they are opaque and warmed through, about 2–3 minutes—do not overcook. If using previously cooked crawfish, add in last 1–2 minutes to warm through.

Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce along with about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously to coat; if sauce seems thick, add more reserved water a few tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Fold in the wilted greens and grated cheese, tossing to combine. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Finish with chopped parsley and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve the pasta immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.