Good Fennel Pasta - Rachael Ray

By bunny_2

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bucatini pasta (or penne)
• Salt
• 3 Tbps. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. bulk sweet italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, quartered and core cut away, very thinly sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, very thinly sliced
• Jar of peperoncinis
• 1 cup dry white wine or stock, eyeball it
• 1 (28-oz)can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus some to pass at table
• 1 cup basil, 20 leaves, shredded or torn
• Crusty bread, for mopping

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. Salt water and add pasta and cook to al dente.

While water comes to a boil and pasta cooks, make the sauce. Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 Tbps. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn off the pan. Add sausage to the skillet and break up the sausage into small bits. Brown sausage all over then transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add 2 Tbps. extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, the garlic, fennel, onions and peppers. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Cook, turning frequently, 7 to 8 minutes until tender but do not allow the fennel and onions to brown-reduce heat a bit if they begin to. Add the wine or stock next and reduce 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the sausage. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is done.
Drain the pasta very well and add to the sauce. Sprinkle the pasta with 1/2 cup cheese, a couple of handfuls, then toss pasta with thick sauce to combine. Transfer pasta to a large shallow platter and cover with the pasta with basil leaves. Serve with extra cheese and pass crusty bread at the table to mop up the plates.