Farfalle with sausage, fennel and white beans
I love this simple, satisfying pasta dish. Remove the sausages from their casings, and you have perfectly seasoned meat for this ragu – so Italian! If you prefer, you could use chorizo, salami or even prawns instead of the sausages. Serve with a salad of radicchio, fennel and grapes.
Ingredients
2 x 400g cans whole plum (Italian) tomatoes, with juice
1 tbsp olive oil
3 Italian sausages, casing removed
2 medium fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, finely sliced, fronds reserved
2 medium brown onions, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp fennel seeds
1.4 litres chicken stock
250g farfalle pasta
400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
30g shaved parmesan
Method
Step 1
Drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Add the sliced fennel, onion, minced garlic and fennel seeds, and saute until soft and fragrant.
Step 3
Add the chicken stock and tomatoes with their reserved liquid, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Step 4
While the ragu simmers cook the farfalle in a large pan of simmering salted water according to the packet directions until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain.
Step 5
Stir the cannellini beans, parsley and cooked pasta through the sauce until the beans have warmed through. Season to taste.
Step 6
To serve, divide among 4 bowls, sprinkle with freshly shaved parmesan and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.
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Neil Perry is a restaurateur, chef and former Good Weekend columnist.Connect via email.From our partners
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Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/recipes/farfalle-with-sausage-fennel-and-white-beans-20250313-p5ljfg.html