Ingredients
– 250g dry tubular pasta (e.g., Paccheri, rigatoni, or penne)
– 400g sausages or sausage meat (chicken, turkey, vegetarian, or chorizo options)
– 2 shallots (or 1 small brown onion, leeks, red onions, or spring onions)
– 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (or anise or caraway seeds)
– 1 large lemon (zest and juice; lime can substitute)
– 1 to 2 teaspoons chili flakes (fresh chili or cayenne pepper alternatives)
– 2 cloves garlic
– 300 ml starchy pasta water (reserved from cooking)
– 70 g Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or vegan alternative)
– 60 ml crème fraîche or double cream (or Greek yogurt, sour cream, or dairy-free cream)
– 15 g fresh parsley (or basil, cilantro, or dill)
– Cooking oil for sautéing
Instructions
1-Heat a large sauté pan until water droplets skitter. Add oil and brown sausage meat, breaking it apart for 10-12 minutes.
2-Meanwhile, finely dice shallots or onion, slice garlic, zest and juice the lemon, and chop parsley.
3-Boil pasta in less water than usual for extra starchiness until very al dente. Reserve about 500ml pasta water before draining.
4-Add shallots and fennel seeds to the sausage pan; cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
5-Stir in lemon zest, chili flakes, and garlic; cook briefly, then add lemon juice.
6-Combine drained pasta with the sausage mixture. Add 200ml reserved pasta water, crème fraîche or double cream, and Parmesan.
7-Toss everything on low heat until a creamy sauce coats the pasta. Adjust consistency with more pasta water if needed.
8-Season to taste, add extra lemon juice if desired, and finish with chopped parsley before serving.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🍝 Use sauce-friendly pasta shapes if Paccheri is unavailable.
🥫 Sauce can be made ahead and stored for 2 days; cook pasta fresh.
🔥 Reheat leftovers gently with added water or broth; freeze sauce separately for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing, Boiling, Tossing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving