Recipe: Creamy Sausage & Fennel Pasta

The flavour combination of sausage and fennel is one of the best out there, so pairing it with hearty pasta and a dash of cream makes the ultimate cosy winter dinner. It’s a super quick dish you can whip up in 25 minutes, perfect for midweek and just as delicious on the weekend. It’s an autumn day winner!

Top Tip - Skip the heavily seasoned sausages. The creamy sauce brings plenty of richness on its own, and you want the fennel’s delicate flavour to shine through alongside the sausage. So, a traditional pork sausage is what you need.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• 350g Fusili

• 400g Sausages (Skinned)

• 250ml Double Cream

• 2 Tsp Fennel Seeds

• 1 Large Shallot (Finely Chopped)

• 1 Large Garlic Clove (Crushed)

• Handful Chopped Cavolo Nero

• 50g Grated Parmesan + Extra for Serving

• 10g Butter

Method

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 12 minutes, or until al dente.

2. Heat the butter with a splash of olive oil in a pan. Add the shallots and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the sausages and break them up with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook over medium–high heat until the sausage meat is cooked and slightly crispy, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir through the cavolo nero and pour in the cream.

5. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sausage mix along with the Parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Add a ladle of pasta water to loosen the sauce, adding more if needed.

6. Serve topped with extra Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.

Enjoy!