Sweet Sausage Sugo with White Wine and Fennel →

In Italian, “sugo” means juice. Sugo di Pomodoro (tomato sauce) is juicier than marinara sauce and lighter than a slow-cooked ragú. This recipe, adapted from Chef Andrew Carmellini, is an updated, refined version of a dish my grandmother used to make when I was a kid. Marinating the sausage in a mixture of white wine, grated garlic, black pepper, and red pepper flakes tenderizes the pork, adds depth, and balances the richness of the sauce. Quick and easy to prepare, this sugo is loaded with flavor your family will love. My grandmother would be smiling. Mangiare mi familia!

SWEET SAUSAGE SUGO WITH WHITE WINE AND FENNEL
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 tablespoon)

• 1 1/3 cups dry white wine, divided

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

• 1 teaspoon ground fennel

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1 small carrot, finely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and crushed (San Marzano tomatoes recommended)

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and crushed

• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 pound uncooked spaghetti (I prefer thin linguine or spaghetti rigati)

• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus small leaves for garnish

• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. Stir together the grated garlic and 1/3 cup wine in a large bowl. Add sausage, fennel, black pepper, and crushed red pepper; stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium until shimmering. Increase heat to high and add the sausage mixture; cook, breaking up the sausage until lightly browned. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent and the celery and carrot are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup of wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, until the wine is nearly evaporated. Stir in the crushed tomatoes with juices and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by about half, about 30 minutes.
3. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions for al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Add ¼-½ cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin it. Add a cup of the sauce to the hot pasta and stir to coat the pasta. Stir in the cheese, basil, and parsley. Serve the hot pasta with additional sauce spooned over and garnished with extra Parmesan, chopped basil, and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Wine pairing: Chianti, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cotes du Rhone

Pasta with Breadcrumbs, Artichokes, and Sausage →

 If you need a break from your routine dinner recipes, this delicious, easy-to-prepare dish is perfect to add to your weeknight meal repertoire. Serve with crusty bread and a fresh garden salad. Make the recipe vegetarian by leaving out the sausage. If you have perfected your pasta cheese sauces on dishes like Cacio e Pepe, use the same technique. If you are inexperienced at making creamy Parmesan sauces using starchy pasta water, try using a blender to mix the Parmesan and starchy water into a smooth sauce before adding it to the pan with the other ingredients. This is an extra step, but if you follow the instructions, you will produce a silky, creamy sauce. Buon appetite!

PASTA WITH BREADCRUMBS, ARTICHOKES, AND SAUSAGE
serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 can of artichokes in water (8-10 count)

• 2-3 sweet Italian sausages (6-8 inches long)

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ cup lemon breadcrumbs (see Note)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• ½ pound of spaghetti or a tubular pasta like rigatoni or penne

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 

Preparation
While you prep the food, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

1. Drain the can of artichokes and dry them on paper towels. Slice the artichokes into quarters lengthwise. Set aside.

2. Fry the sausages in a 12-inch skillet making sure to brown all sides. Slice the sausages ½ inch thick and set aside. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.

3. To the same pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of Evoo and heat until shimmering. Working in batches, if necessary, add the artichokes face down in the skillet and fry until just beginning to brown. Using a slotted spoon remove the artichokes to a paper towel and set aside.

4. Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water; cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente (about 2 minutes less than recommended on the package for al dente). Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water; set aside.

5. Over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet used to fry the sausage and artichokes; add the garlic and chile flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft and fragrant (don't burn the garlic). Lower the heat to medium-low, add the quartered artichokes, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, cooked pasta, and ½ cup of Parmesan and toss together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth sauce with the consistency you want. (If your pan is too hot the cheese will become clumpy and stringy.) Alternatively, add ½ cup of Parmesan to a blender with ½ cup of starchy pasta water and buzz briefly until you have a creamy sauce. Add the sauce to the pan with the other ingredients and stir over medium-low heat until the pasta is well coated. If the sauce is too thick add a tablespoon at a time of the remaining pasta water, stirring constantly until the sauce is the consistency you want. Stir in the sausage and cook until heated through (1-2 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, divide the sausage, artichoke quarters, and pasta evenly between four bowls and garnish lightly with lemon breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and parsley. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad. Enjoy! 

(Note: for lemon breadcrumbs: in a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of Evoo over medium heat.  Add ½ cup of fresh breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest stirring until well incorporated and slightly brown. Remove from heat and reserve.)

Wine: Unoaked Chardonnay, Chablis, Soave Classico, Vermentino, Rosé.

Pasta and Crab with Prosciutto and Green Peas →

Here's a light and delicious pasta dish to serve as a small plate starter or as a quick and indulgent weeknight meal accompanied by a green salad. I collected the recipe many years ago from Food and Wine Magazine and have tweaked it to enhance the flavor profile and dress it up a bit. I hope you like it. Food is intimately connected to memories. Lump crab meat is an indulgence these days, unlike my childhood when my grandfather and I would fill a bushel basket full of blue crabs from Quonochontaug Pond in South County, Rhode Island. Here's to you Grampa! Thanks for that memory.

Pasta and Crab with Prosciutto and Green Peas
Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS
·   1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
·   2 thin slices of prosciutto, cut into thin strips
·   3 tablespoons unsalted butter
·    ½ cup sliced shallots
·    1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
·    ¾ cup dry white wine
·     ½ pound lump crab meat
·     1 ½ teaspoons chopped thyme
·     1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
·     1/3 cup blanched green peas
·     ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
·     2 teaspoons lemon zest
·     ½ pound thin linguini (or Angel-hair pasta)
·     Salt and freshly ground pepper
·     2 tablespoons chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS
1.  In a deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until hot; transfer the prosciutto to a plate.
2.  Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, but not brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. (1-2 minutes Don’t burn the garlic.)
3.  Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the crab, green peas, thyme, and oregano and toss until hot.
4.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking water.
5.  Add the prosciutto, pasta, lemon zest, reserved cooking water, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
6.  Garnish the pasta with parsley and serve. Grated parmesan is optional.

Wine pairing: a dry, white wine like Pinot Blanc, Chablis, Vermentino, Albariño, Viognier
Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/angel-hair-pasta-crab-and-country-ham