Creamy Calabrian Chili Pappardelle (Print-Friendly Version)
Silky pappardelle with sausage and fennel in a spicy, creamy tomato sauce brightened with Calabrian chili peppers.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1 lb DeLallo Egg Pappardelle
02 -
1 lb raw mild Italian pork sausage
03 -
2 small fennel bulbs, diced
04 -
1 small onion, diced
05 -
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
→ Sauce Components
06 -
1 (24 oz) jar tomato purée
07 -
¼ cup tomato paste
08 -
2 tbsp DeLallo Calabrian Chili Peppers
09 -
1 cup heavy cream
10 -
½ cup white wine
→ Fats & Seasonings
11 -
4 tbsp unsalted butter
12 -
Olive oil, as needed
13 -
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
14 -
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
15 -
Freshly cracked black pepper, as needed
16 -
Salt, as needed
# Steps:
01 -
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
02 -
Heat a 3-quart stainless steel sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the sausage, breaking it apart into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
03 -
Reduce heat to medium and add butter. Once melted, add onion and fennel. Cook for about 8 minutes until caramelized and tender, stirring often. Season with a good pinch of salt.
04 -
Drop the pappardelle into the boiling water, stir well, and cook to "al dente" according to package instructions.
05 -
Add garlic to the onions and fennel, cooking for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and Calabrian chili paste, cooking for another minute. Pour in white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
06 -
Add tomato purée, heavy cream, oregano, and browned sausage. Retrieve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add to the sauce. Stir well to combine. Bring to a bubble, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 -
Drain pasta and return to the large pot. Pour in sauce and toss to combine. Gradually add parmesan cheese, stirring until it melts and the sauce clings to the pasta. If needed, adjust consistency with more pasta water or additional heat.
08 -
Season with salt to taste. Plate the pasta with freshly cracked black pepper and additional parmesan cheese on top.
# Notes & Tips:
01 -
Reserve extra pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed
02 -
For best flavor development, allow the fennel to properly caramelize