Often a recipe that calls for Italian sausage will specify whether you should use links with fennel seed, or without, the writer looking to control that flavor in the dish. I will leave that choice, as it applies to this pasta, to you. Choose sausages with fennel seed and the licorice flavor from the fresh fennel bulb will be intensified; pick those without, and the flavor will be quieter. Either way, the fennel bulb itself will become sweeter in the cooking and mellower.
Many a dish with fresh fennel will call for saving some fronds as a garnish. You could do that here, certainly, but I prefer fresh thyme leaves, which simmer in the cream, spreading their flavor throughout the dish.
Tip
To prep the fennel, trim the tough root end. Cut off the stalks. (Save stalks to flavor chicken or vegetable broth, if you like.) Remove the tough outer layer.
Pasta with Fennel and Sausage
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Makes: 4-6 servings
1 lb. penne pasta
1 lb. Italian turkey or pork sausage, casings removed
1 Tbsp. olive oil, optional
1 large fennel bulb or 2 medium, about 1 pound when trimmed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
15 pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente; drain, saving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, brown the sausage over medium-high heat in a large skillet, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon; cook until no pink remains, 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a bowl.
Cut the fennel into slices, about 1/4-inch thick; cut those slices crosswise into sticks, again about 1/4 inch. Add olive oil to skillet, if needed to cook the fennel. Add fennel; season with salt. Cook over medium heat until softened and caramelized, 10 minutes. Stir in the wine; cook to reduce by half. Add the cream, thyme and reserved sausage. Simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly, but still loose.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with the olives. Toss to coat the pasta. Add some of the reserved hot pasta water if dish seems dry.
Nutrition information per serving (for 6 servings): 509 calories, 18 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 72 mg cholesterol, 62 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 671 mg sodium, 5 g fiber
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