Pasta alla Savannah with spicy Italian sausage
Always a crowd pleaser, this pasta is one to follow a hearty walk, or to be eaten with good friends on a cold night. It is best with Italian sausages – the texture is wonderful and crumbly, as they aren’t too processed. If you can’t find any, buy the best-quality pork sausages available and add lots of freshly ground black pepper. I love to make this recipe with conchiglie, but you can use any dry short pasta with a cavity to scoop up the sauce, like penne or Campania-style dry gnocchi, as pictured.
This is an edited extract from ‘A House Party in Tuscany’ by Amber Guinness
Ingredients
Method
Step 1
In a wide, heavy-based pan or flameproof casserole dish, heat the oil with the onion and a pinch of salt over a medium heat. Fry until translucent (about 5 minutes).
Step 2
Add the crumbled sausage meat, half the rosemary leaves, the bay leaves and the chilli flakes. Stir, mashing the sausage meat with the end of your spoon.
Step 3
Cook the meat for 10-15 minutes, until evenly browned. Add the wine, increase the heat and cook for another 5 minutes, until the alcohol has evaporated. Put a large pan of well-salted water on to boil.
Step 4
Add the tomatoes to the sauce, together with the rest of the rosemary leaves. Bring to the boil and then immediately reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
Step 5
Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. A few minutes before the pasta is done, stir the cream and nutmeg through the sauce. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce, along with half the parmesan, stirring thoroughly to combine. Serve immediately, topped with the rest of the parmesan.
