Italian Sausage Pappardelle Recipe
italian pork sausage, tomato, fresh pappardelle pasta, herbs & manchego cheese
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Ingredients
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Sauce
Pasta & Finish
Method
Sauce
Brown the sausage
Heat a large heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When shimmering, add the sausage pieces in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes to develop color, then break up with a spoon and continue to brown until no pink remains and edges are nicely caramelized, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked sausage to a bowl, leaving drippings in the pan.
Sweat aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. If pan looks dry, add up to 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Deglaze
Pour in the white wine (or chicken stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.
Simmer the tomatoes
Stir in the tomato paste until incorporated, then add the crushed tomatoes, thyme, sugar (if using), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Return the cooked sausage to the pan, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and extra pepper as needed. Stir in most of the julienned basil (reserve some for garnish) about 2 minutes before finishing.
Pasta & Finish
Cook the pappardelle
Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tbsp salt per 4–6 quarts) to a vigorous boil. Add fresh pappardelle and cook 2–4 minutes or according to package instructions until tender but still slightly firm (fresh pasta cooks quickly). Stir gently to prevent sticking. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Finish the sauce with pasta
Return the skillet with the sauce to medium-low heat. Add the drained pappardelle to the sauce and toss to combine. Add up to 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and create a silky coating; toss until pasta is evenly coated and sauce clings to the noodles, about 1–2 minutes. If sauce needs more gloss, add a splash more cooking water or the 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil.