ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL RAGU

Italian sausage

🥗Healthier: turkey sausage

💰Cheaper: pork sausage

Turkey sausage reduces fat while maintaining flavor.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor.

Toast fennel seeds in a sauté pan over low flame until fragrant; reserve.

Brown Italian sausage in a saucepan over medium heat; strain out fat and reserve meat.

Heat extra virgin olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat; add minced garlic, toasted fennel seeds, and chopped oregano; cook for 3-4 minutes until garlic is slightly toasted.

Add browned sausage back to the saucepan with San Marzano tomato sauce; mix and bring to a simmer; let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Fill a pot with heavily salted water and bring to a boil; cook orecchiette pasta for about 4-5 minutes.

Add some ragu to a warm sauté pan; add starchy pasta water to tighten up the sauce.

Add cooked orecchiette to the sauté pan with ragu; bring to a simmer and flip pasta to combine; let sauce thicken.

Plate the pasta and finish with grated cheese, preferably pecorino.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens