Sausage Ragu with pappardelle

Italian sausage

🥗Healthier: chicken sausage

💰Cheaper: bulk ground pork

Chicken sausage reduces fat while maintaining flavor.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino cheese

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor without dairy.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and fennel seeds. Cook for 8 minutes until the carrot is soft and sweet, but not golden.

Turn the heat up to high and add the sausage. Cook, breaking it up as you go.

Once the meat is no longer pink, add the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and let it simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until reduced by half.

Add the remaining ragu ingredients. Stir, bring to a simmer, put the lid on and place it in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and use a potato masher to mash the meat finer. Put the lid back on, and return to the oven for 45 minutes.

Taste and add more salt if desired.

Cook the pappardelle according to the packet instructions. Just before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water and set it aside.

Add the pasta into the pot along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cook water. Toss the pasta until the ragu is tangled in the pasta strands.

Serve in pre-warmed bowls, garnish with parmesan and a pinch of parsley if desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens