PROPER BLOKES' SAUSAGE FUSILLI

PROPER BLOKES' SAUSAGE FUSILLI image

Categories Pasta

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 heaped teaspoons fennel seeds
2 dried red chillies, crumbled olive oil
600g good-quality coarse Italian or Cumberland sausages
1 tablespoon dried oregano
A wineglass of white wine
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
500g good-quality fusilli or penne
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A couple of knobs of butter
A handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
A small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Steps:

Bash up the fennel seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar or Flavour Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized. Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavours then add the butter, Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.