Two special ingredients make this really special! Fennel and Worcestershire sauce! Fresh basil and Italian sausage just put it over the top!
Ingredients: 3/4 to a full box of spaghetti noodles (I used whole box to make the meal stretch, recipe actually calls for 3/4 box), 1 pound mild Italian sausage, 4-5 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion, finely diced, 4 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp good olive oil, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 28 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes (or best whole peeled canned tomatoes you can afford), 1 handful fresh basil leaves (torn at the end), 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt & pepper. At the end 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Instead you can mash an anchovy fillet in oil (melts away, leaves magic).
1. Start a large pot of heavily salted water for pasta.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, gently brown Italian sausage and add butter (I added at wrong time, been distracted today for some reason). Once browned remove and set aside. To the pan add garlic, diced onion, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to medium-low and let everything blend together, until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes.
3. While that is cooking: Add sausage back to pan and crush the tomatoes by hand into the pan. Add salt and pepper. Let it gently bubble while you cook the pasta.
4. Cook the spaghetti 2 minutes less than package directions (very al dente).
5. Before draining pasta, scoop out 3/4 cup of pasta water (I made mistake and only used 1/4 cup). Do not rinse pasta.
6. Throw in torn basil, add Worcestershire sauce, most of the Parmigiano, and adjust salt and pepper.
7. Add pasta to sauce.
8. Serve immediately with extra cheese, basil or parsley on top. Enjoy. Serves 4-6.
1 Comment
Easy and delicious!