Rigatoni with fennel sausage sauce

Ingredients

• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• 6 cut into 1.5cm-thick slices Italian fennel sausages
• 1 large peeled and chopped onion
• 1 trimmed and roughly chopped; reserve any fronds to garnish fennel bulb
• ½ tsp smoky paprika
• 1 clove, peeled and sliced garlic
• 2 tsp lightly toasted and then gently crushed fennel seeds
• 100ml red wine
• 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 50g cut in half lengthways pitted black olives
• 500g rigatoni
• 30g roughly crumbled into 0.5cm pieces pecorino
• 1 rinsed and patted dry anchovy fillet
• 50g torn basil leaves

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large lidded sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced fennel sausages and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until well browned all over. Transfer the sausages to a plate.
2. Add the onion and chopped fennel to the same pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelised. Add a little extra oil if the pan looks dry.
3. Stir in the smoked paprika, garlic and half of the crushed fennel seeds and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and let it boil for about 30 seconds until reduced by half.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, 100 ml water, the browned sausages and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, removing the lid after 10 minutes and continuing to cook until the sauce is thick and rich. Remove from the heat and stir in the olives and remaining fennel seeds.
5. Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, according to the packet instructions. Reheat the sauce gently. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss lightly. Divide between bowls.
6. To make the pesto, blend all the ingredients except the basil with 1 tablespoon of water to a coarse paste. Add the basil and blitz briefly until just combined.
7. Spoon the sausage sauce over the pasta, add a dollop of pesto, finish with chopped fennel fronds if using, and serve immediately.

instructions_source: editorial-classic