Tagliatelle with Sausage and Chianti Classico Ragu
The Florentine culinary canon is filled with stars and usual suspects like pappa al pomodoro, the lampredotto sandwich, and the queen of steaks, bistecca alla fiorentina. All good and well, but most either require a several-day process to prepare, or a large group of people to enjoy.
But this hearty and silky tagliatelle with sausage and Chianti Classico ragu recipe combines all the flavors that speak to the hidden streets of Florence. Perfect for a dinner for two or served family-style before the main course, this ragu is quick to make and sings when paired with a bold Chianti Classico (always cook with what you’re drinking) and a sliced rustic bread to clean up every last drop of sauce.
This recipe is published in The Florence Issue of Life & Thyme Post, our exclusive newspaper for Life & Thyme members. Get your copy.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. tagliatelle (or pasta of your choice)
- 1 24 oz. bottle of tomato purée
- 1 red onion, cut into thin ¼-inch slices along the grain
- 1 lb. sweet Italian or fennel sausage, removed from casing and formed into patties
- Pinch of red chili flakes
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano
- 1 cup Chianti Classico
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 2 tbsp. fennel pollen
- Extra virgin olive oil
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Method
For the pasta:
Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, to taste.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the time indicated on the package.
For the ragu:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, sear the sausage on both sides. Once browned, break the sausage into small pieces and sprinkle with fennel pollen. Remove the sausage from the heat; set aside.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced red onions into the pan. Stirring into the onions and olive oil, add the sliced garlic to the pan and cook until just brown.
Add the chianti to the pan to deglaze, and scrape up any brown residue on the bottom with a flat-edged wooden spoon. Cook until the alcohol is burned off, for about 2 minutes.
Return the sausage to the pan and stir. Add the tomato purée to the pan along with one cup of water. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and stir occasionally until you can drag the wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan and see the bottom, for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Assembling the dish:
Remove pasta from the water and add directly to the sautée pan. Cook the pasta in the sauce for 1 minute, tossing to coat. Turn the heat off and add the Pecorino Romano and parsley.
Plate on a serving platter or individual plates. Finish with a dusting of Pecorino Romano.
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