Creamy Sausage & Fennel Rigatoni

Cooking time: 25mins

SERVES: 2-4

Ingredients

- 500g rigatoni.

- 400g Italian sausage, casings removed

- 1 medium onion, finely sliced 

- 3 cloves of garlic, Finley sliced

- 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (adjust according to your preference)

- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

- 400g canned crushed tomatoes

- 200ml double cream

- Fresh basil leaves, torn

- Salt and pepper, to taste

- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Method

-Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

-In a large frying pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and break it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through. 

-In the same pan, add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent and lightly caramelized. Add the sliced garlic, dried chili flakes, and fennel seeds. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

-Stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.

-Reduce the heat to low and pour in the cream. Stir well to combine and let the sauce simmer gently for an additional 5 minutes.

-Add the cooked rigatoni pasta to the skillet with the creamy sausage sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated.

-Tear some fresh basil leaves and sprinkle them over the pasta. Give it a final stir.

-Serve the creamy sausage rigatoni hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and additional fresh basil leaves, if desired.