Introduction
This is my weeknight pasta when rigatoni and “homestyle” sauce are on sale. We elevate it with onion, carrot, and fennel. Protein first (salsiccia), then carb (rigatoni), with aromatic vegetables building depth in the background.
Step-by-step
Ingredients
- 500 g salsiccia (1.1 lb)
- 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp)
- 150 g yellow onion, finely chopped (5 oz)
- 200 g carrots, grated or finely chopped (7 oz)
- 2 g fennel seeds, crushed (0.07 oz, 1 tsp)
- 700 g tomato sauce (25 oz)
- 400 g rigatoni (14 oz)
- 10 g salt for pasta water (0.35 oz; about 1 tbsp per 1 liter / 4 cups water)
- Black pepper
- Chili flakes (optional)
- Parmesan, grated (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt it once it boils.
- Squeeze the sausage out of its casing into bite-size pieces (or slice it). Brown hard in a hot pan with a little olive oil until you get real color. Remove to a plate.
- In the same pan, sauté the onion and carrots with fennel seeds for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and pepper (and chili if you want). Return the sausage and let it simmer while the pasta cooks.
- Cook the rigatoni until al dente. Reserve 120 to 240 ml pasta water (1/2 to 1 cup), then drain.
- Toss pasta with the sauce and add pasta water a little at a time until it looks glossy and clings.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Finish with parmesan if you like.
Serving Notes
Fennel is the shortcut that gives this sauce an authentic Italian-sausage profile, even when built from budget-friendly ingredients.
