Best Chef Johns Penne Pasta With Spicy Sausage Ragu Recipes

SPICY SAUSAGE RAGU

Steps:

• Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat until browned, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in parsley and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Stir in white wine and cook until the wine has nearly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in heavy cream, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in marinara sauce and water and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 1 hour.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne, and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, but still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.
• Combine pasta and sauce; remove from heat, cover and let sit for about 2 minutes.
• Serve pasta and sauce topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

PENNE WITH SPICY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add the onion to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until coated with the sausage drippings. Reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir until the mixture has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce to the onion mixture. Stir until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cooked sausage. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan, if using, toss and serve.

SAUSAGE RAGù

Steps:

• With the tip of a small, sharp knife, slit open the sausage casings. Crumble the meat into a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven and set over medium-low heat. If the meat is not rendering enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan as it begins to cook, add olive oil one tablespoon at a time until the meat is frying gently, not steaming. Sauté, breaking up any large chunks, until all the meat has turned opaque (do not let it brown), about 5 minutes.
• Add onion, carrot, celery and parsley and stir. Drizzle in more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook over very low heat, stirring often, until the vegetables have melted in the fat and are beginning to caramelize, and the meat is toasty brown. This may take as long as 40 minutes, but be patient: It is essential to the final flavors.
• Add tomatoes and their juice, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands or with the side of a spoon. Bring to a simmer, then add thyme and rosemary and let simmer, uncovered, until thickened and pan is almost dry, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Mix tomato paste with 1 cup hot water. Add to pan, reduce heat to very low, and continue cooking until the ragù is velvety and dark red, and the top glistens with oil, about 10 minutes more. Remove herb sprigs. Sprinkle black pepper over, stir and taste.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta until just tender. Scoop out 2 cups cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Quickly add a ladleful of ragù, a splash of cooking water, stir well and let cook 1 minute. Taste for doneness. Repeat, adding more cooking water or ragù, or both, until pasta is cooked through and seasoned to your liking.
• Pour hot pasta water into a large serving bowl to heat it. Pour out the water and pour in the pasta. Top with remaining ragù, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Pass grated cheese at the table, if desired.

CHEF JOHN'S PENNE PASTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE RAGU

Steps:

• Cook sausage and parsley until done, pour in wine and cook until reduced but not burned, stir in marinara, water and cream. Simmer for 1hr. Combine with cooked pasta and serve with cheese.

CHEF JOHN'S PENNE WITH VODKA SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon and rosemary sprig with olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until bacon renders its fat but is not crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour vodka into the skillet, standing back to avoid any flare-ups. Raise heat to high and continue to cook until the vodka reduces to about 2 tablespoons.
• Pour heavy cream into skillet, stir briefly, and add black pepper; bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until sauce has slightly reduced, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix marinara sauce and water into cream mixture and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer sauce 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavors.
• Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne and return to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still chewy, about 10 minutes; drain and return to pot. Pour sauce over penne and stir to combine. Turn off heat, cover pot with a lid, and let stand 5 minutes for pasta to absorb sauce. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.