Heat a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When shimmering, add the removed sausage meat, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned with some golden bits, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer most of the browned sausage to a bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the pan.

Sweat aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if pan looks dry. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not brown.

Deglaze and build sauce

Pour in the white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, browned sausage (return to pan), chopped rosemary, thyme, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then lower heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.

Pasta & finishing

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add fresh pappardelle and cook until al dente — fresh pasta typically takes 2–4 minutes; dried will take 8–10 minutes (follow package). Reserve about 1–2 cups of pasta cooking water before draining; set aside 2 cups (measured in ingredients). Drain the pasta quickly.

Finish in the sauce

Return the sauce to medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, then add the drained pappardelle directly into the sauce. Toss gently with tongs to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time up to the reserved amount until you reach a silky, clingy consistency (about 1/2–1 cup total).

Mount with butter and herbs

Turn heat to low and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and emulsified into the sauce. Stir in chopped parsley and lemon zest if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve

Divide pappardelle and sausage sauce among serving plates. Top each portion with a generous 1–1.5 ounces of grated or shaved Manchego cheese. Finish with a grind of black pepper and an optional sprinkle of chopped parsley. Serve immediately.