Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 400 g penne pasta
- 4000 ml water
- 30 g kosher salt
Sausage and Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 400 g spicy italian sausage, raw, casings removed
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 2 g red chili flakes
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
- 30 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 770 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 88 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 669 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 74 mg
- Potassium
- 604 mg
- Calcium
- 145 mg
- Iron
- 3.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 83 mg
- Phosphorus
- 393 mg
- Zinc
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 38 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 13 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 7.7 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 112 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw sausage to prevent cross-contamination. Remove sausage meat from casings if not already done.
Bring the water and kosher salt to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat.
Add the penne pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spicy Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until deeply browned and an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F is reached.
Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet with the sausage. Sauté until the onion is softened and translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and red chili flakes. Cook until highly fragrant and the tomato paste deepens in color.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce gently bubble to meld the flavors.
Drain the cooked pasta using a colander and add it directly to the skillet with the simmering sauce. Toss vigorously to coat the pasta evenly.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the torn fresh basil and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always reserve a small cup of pasta water before draining. Its starch content is the secret to binding the fat in the sausage with the tomato sauce, creating a perfectly emulsified glaze.
- Cooking the tomato paste in the hot fat (a technique known as pincage) caramelizes its sugars, removing any tinny metallic flavor and creating a deeper umami profile.
- If you prefer a milder dish, substitute mild or sweet Italian sausage and omit the red chili flakes.
- Do not rinse your pasta after cooking. The residual starch on the surface is essential for helping the sauce cling to the penne.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Pasta may soften upon thawing. Freezing the sauce separately from the pasta is recommended.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power or warm on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thick or pasta seems dry
Cause: The pasta absorbed too much liquid, or the sauce reduced too quickly over high heat.
Fix: Stir in the reserved starchy pasta water, 15ml at a time, until the sauce reaches a glossy, coating consistency.
Prevention: Simmer the sauce gently on low heat and always reserve starchy pasta water before draining.
Sausage is tough and rubbery
Cause: Sausage was cooked too rapidly at a very high heat without being broken down properly, or it was severely overcooked.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Break the meat apart continuously while cooking and do not exceed the recommended cooking time once browned.
Cultural Context
This style of quick sausage ragout is a staple of Italian-American home cooking, born from the tradition of stretching highly flavorful preserved meats into hearty meals. By utilizing bulk sausage, the dish benefits from the spices and curing aromatics already present in the meat, significantly reducing the cooking time required to build complex flavor compared to a traditional slow-simmered Sunday gravy.
