Quick Italian Sausage & Chestnut Pasta
This Sausage and Chestnut Pasta features savory sausage and chopped chestnuts simmered in a rich tomato sauce, tossed with large pasta shells or pappardelle, and topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Large onion finely chopped
- 450 grams Lincolnshire sausage (meat removed from the casings)
- 200 grams vacuum-packed chestnuts (very roughly chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp rosemary chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 glass red wine full-bodied
- 500 grams passata (tomato sauce)
- 500 grams large pasta shells or pappardelle
- A small bunch of curly parsley finely chopped
- Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese for serving
Instructions
Cook the Base
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.Add the finely chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it starts to soften.Add the sausage meat and chopped chestnuts to the pan. Cook for 10-12 minutes, breaking up the sausage meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Keep the heat high and stir frequently.
Add Flavorings and Simmer
- When the sausage and chestnuts are golden brown, stir in the chopped garlic, rosemary, and fennel seeds. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.Pour in the red wine and let it cook for a few minutes until most of it has evaporated.Add the passata to the pan, cover, and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes while you cook the pasta.
Prepare the Pasta
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions.Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Combine and Serve
- Toss the cooked pasta with 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and the sausage and chestnut sauce.Mix in most of the chopped parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.Divide the pasta among bowls, top with additional parsley, a generous grind of black pepper, and shavings of Parmesan cheese.
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