Pasta with Sausage & Fennel

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. mild Italian sausage
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Pernod
• 3/4 lb. wild fennel (or tender inner sections of cultivated
• fennel), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup strong beef stock
• Salt
• Crushed red pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb. ziti tagliate or other long, tubular pasta
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Step 1

1. Remove casings from sausages and discard. Coarsely chop sausage meat, place in a large skillet over medium heat and brown, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in Pernod, fennel, and stock, and cook until fennel is tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt, red pepper, and black pepper.
2
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 8–10 minutes, then drain. Stir pasta and cream into sauce, adjust seasoning and serve.