De Fermo Ronco Don Delle Recipe

Boil pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne and cook until 1–2 minutes shy of package al dente (usually 9–11 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

While pasta cooks, finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, crumble the sausage, chop basil and parsley, and grate the cheese so everything is ready to go.

Sauté aromatics and brown sausage

Heat 3 tbs olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the crumbled sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5–7 minutes.

Deglaze

Increase heat to medium-high and pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Build the tomato base

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to concentrate. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and the chicken/vegetable stock. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly reduce the sauce.

Finish with cream and cheese

Stir in the heavy cream and 2 oz (about two-thirds of the grated amount) Pecorino Romano. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce is homogenous and slightly thickened. Taste and season with the 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to preference.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta. Cook together over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce and absorbs flavor.

Enrich and rest

Turn off the heat and stir in the 2 tbs unsalted butter, chopped basil, chopped parsley, and the remaining grated Pecorino Romano. If using lemon zest, add it now for a bright lift. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if necessary.

Let the pasta rest in the pan for 1–2 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pasta well.

Portion the pasta onto warm plates or into bowls. Spoon any remaining sauce over the top. Garnish with extra grated Pecorino, a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and an optional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Serve immediately with crusty bread and a simple green salad if desired.