Ina Garten’s Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel- Tweaked

I haven’t made something by Ina Garten in a while, and last night I thought I’d immerse myself in her recipe. I made this outstanding dish for my parents. They absolutely loved it. It was fatty, and salty, and creamy. The perfect dish for when winds are blowing 75 mph during a nor’easter on Nantucket Island with whale lanterns flickering. Perfection. I removed the fennel from her recipe, because I didn’t have any. I actually preferred it without the fennel, but you be the judge. Original recipe here.

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Ina Garten’s Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel-Tweaked

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• Author: Victoria. Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x

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Description

This crave-able dish is perfect for any fall night. The fat from the sausage and the cream coats the rigatoni to perfection. The added parmesan and parsley make it 5-star worthy. 

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Ingredients

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• 3 tablespoons good olive oil 
• 1 large Vidalia Onion, chopped 
• 1 1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 
• 3–4 cloves minced garlic 
• 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed with mortar and pestle or spice grinder 
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to your preference) 
• salt and pepper 
• 1 cup dry white wine 
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup half and half 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 pound rigatoni (or 1 box) 
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley 
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided in half 

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Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute until tender. 
2. Add sausage, and cook until browned, crumbling with a fork.
3. Add garlic, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook for a minute or until fragrant. 
4. Add wine and bring to a boil. 
5. Add heavy cream, half and half and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until sauce is thickened. Approximately 30 min. 
6. Bring large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni to package instructions. Drain and add to sauce, stirring to coat pasta. Cook for about 5 min for pasta to absorb the sauce. 
7. Mix in parsley and 1/2 of the Parmesan. 
8. Serve in shallow bowls, with remaining Parmesan on the side for sprinkling. 
9. Enjoy!

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Italian American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serves 4