Rigatoni with fennel sausage sauce
A hearty Italian pasta dish featuring rigatoni in a fennel sausage ragù with olives, finished with a basil pesto. The recipe combines a rich tomato-meat sauce with a fresh, garlicky pesto for a balanced, comforting meal.
Steps
- 1
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the fennel sausage pieces until golden-brown; transfer to a plate.
- 2
Add the onion and fennel to the hot pan and fry for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelised; add a little extra oil if the pan becomes dry.
- 3
Stir in the smoky paprika, garlic, and half the fennel seeds; fry for 2 minutes more.
- 4
Pour in the red wine and boil for 30 seconds, reducing by half.
- 5
Add the chopped tomatoes, caster sugar, 100 ml water, the seared sausage and half a teaspoon of salt; cover and simmer for 30 minutes, removing the lid after 10 minutes and cooking until the sauce is thick and rich.
- 6
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the rigatoni and cook for 12–14 minutes (or according to package instructions) until al dente. Reheat the sauce.
- 7
Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and stir in a tablespoon of oil.
- 8
Put all the pesto ingredients except the basil in the small bowl of a food processor. Add a tablespoon of water and blitz to a rough paste. Add the basil, then blitz until just combined.
- 9
Spoon the ragù over the pasta and top with a spoonful of pesto. Finish with chopped fennel fronds, if available, and serve at once.
