You're Going to Want to Dive Into a Bowl of This Pasta With Sausage and Sage

By The Kitchy Kitchen

Spring may be upon us, but that's no excuse to abandon our favorite pasta dishes. The Kitchy Kitchen has a fast, easy, and utterly delicious recipe that you'll want to cook up right now.

The Kitchy Kitchen

When Winter isn't quite ready to shed its coat and enter Spring, hearty, simple, stick-to-the-ribs meals are best. There's barely anything at the farmer's market, so we turn to our pantries instead. What I love about this recipe is that if you have a fennel sausage you love, just use that instead. That makes this recipe take 20 minutes of cooking, tops. I'm of the mind that brown butter improves anything, and when mixed with fragrant sage and fennel, it's such a satisfying combination. You can also try this recipe with any pasta you like, but I like the texture of the cavatelli best. Enjoy!

The Kitchy Kitchen
The Kitchy Kitchen
The Kitchy Kitchen

Cavatelli with Fennel Sausage and Brown Butter and Crispy Sage

Cook Time20 minutes
YieldServes 4

From The Kitchy Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

    For the fennel sausage: 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped 10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped 2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed Pinch red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper 1 1/2 pounds ground pork shoulder For the pasta: 1 tablespoon olive oil 10 ounces cavatelli pasta 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 15 sage leaves, chopped (you can leave some whole for garnish, if you like) 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 ounces grated parmesan, for garnish

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Make the fennel sausage: Combine all of the herbs, garlic, and spices in a bowl, and combine with the pork. Mix together until well combined. Gently roll the pork into 1 inch balls, set aside on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Hold in the fridge until using.

    2. Make the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

    3. Heat up a large pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, then add the sausage – careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook the meat balls fully, about 3 minutes a side. Set aside the meatballs on a plate, and return the pan to heat.

    4. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook the pasta per manufacturers instructions.

    5. Meanwhile, add the butter to the pan, along with the sage leaves, and cook the butter while stirring until browned. It should smell nutty. Pour in the white wine, and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to pick up the brown bits. Return the sausage to the pan, and strain the pasta and add to the pan as well. Toss to coat. Garnish with grated cheese.