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A rich and flavour packed Tuscan sausage ragu made with the most delicious Italian sausages, fennel seeds, red wine and plum tomatoes, cooked to perfection and served with Pici pasta.
This Tuscan sausage ragu is one of my favourite recipes that I’ve been making for years way before I lived here and used to visit Bella Italia on holiday.
Yes, I’m that person that goes on holiday to cook for hours and I love it.
The ragu is very simple and extremely easy to make. Ok, it takes a little time but not hours, just enough time for the beautiful flavours to develop and the sauce to become, rich and deep in flavour.
Tuscan Sausages
The sausages are the main ingredient and the star of the whole dish so it’s extremely important to use high-quality sausages, the best you can get your hands on.
No matter what supermarket or butcher I go to in Italy the sausages like all food are high-quality and bursting with flavour.
One thing I have noticed about their sausages is that they are very well seasoned. Because of this whatever dish I’m making with sausages requires hardly if not any added salt, these babies add all the seasoning that’s needed.
The sausages (unless they’re salsicce piccante) don’t have any chili or hot pepper flakes in them instead they are packed full of fennel seeds, rosemary, red wine and garlic.
I love reading the ingredients list on the packages, there are no preservatives or nasties just honest, natural food and herbs, no wonder they taste so damn delicious.
Il Soffritto
The ragu starts like a lot of Italian sauces, stews and soups, with Il Soffritto.
Il Soffritto is very simply, finely chopped carrot, celery and white onion sauteed slowly with a little olive oil for about 10 minutes until soft but not brown.
This adds incredible depth of flavour to many dishes and can even be made in advance to add into weeknight meals for an extra flavour punch.
How to make il soffritto
Finely chop equal amounts of carrot, white onion and celery.
They don’t have to be exactly equal amounts, just roughly around about the same. For this Tuscan sausage ragu, I use 1 medium sized carrot, 1 celery stick and 1 small white onion.
Saute the chopped veggies in a large pan with a little olive oil.
The key is to saute the veg slowly on a low/medium heat so they soften and release all the delicious flavours without browning or burning.
Ok let’s talk about that Pici pasta though, how amazing is it?
Pici pasta is famously used for Cacio e Pepe, a cheesy peppery dish that’s also frequently called Pici e Pepe which I just love to say so much more.
It’s super thick spaghetti shaped fresh pasta that is so delicious with many sauces and goes perfectly with this Tuscan sausage ragu.
This sausage ragu is so perfect for weeknights, you can make it in advance the day before or freeze it for a speedy supper.
It’s also as equally special to have at the weekend. It’s that type of dish that could be served up for date night or eaten on the sofa in your pyjamas with a large glass of vino rosso.
For more easy pasta recipes try;
- Mafalde pasta with butter and parmesan
- Farfalle pasta with pancetta, chili and garlic
- Creamy butternut squash pasta
- Spicy sausage pasta bake
- Bucatini with roasted red pepper cream sauce
If you’ve tried this Pici with Tuscan sausage ragu or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
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Pici with Tuscan Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Tuscan or Italian sausages, (490g)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 small white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine, (120ml)
- 28 oz canned plum tomatoes, (800g)
- 3/4 cup water, (200ml)
- salt and pepper
- 1 lbs pici pasta, (500g)
Instructions
- Very finely chop the carrot, onion, celery and garlic, set aside. remove the sausages from their casings and add to a large pan under a medium heat. Break the sausages up as they brown using the side of a wooden spoon. Once browned, remove the sausages to a plate and drain any excess fat that's in that pan.
- Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and adjust the heat to medium/low. Add the carrot, celery and onion and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon for around 10 minutes until the veg is soft and the onions are translucent but not brown.
- Add the sausage meat back to the pan and add the garlic for 1 minute then add the wine. Stir the mixture for 1 minute then add the canned tomatoes and water. Add a good pinch of pepper, the fennel seeds and the sprig of rosemary.
- Let the ragu simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add another splash of water half way through if it starts to reduce too much.
- Once the ragu is ready turn it down to the lowest heat possible and bring a pot of salty water to a boil. Add the pici pasta and cook according to packet instructions, once cooked remove the pasta from the water using a spaghetti spoon into the ragu. Toss the pasta through the ragu then serve in large bowls. Serve with grated parmesan.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this while on an extended vacation in Tuscany. I purchased premade pici from the local market but look forward to trying this again with homemade pici.
I love making homemade pici pasta and because it’s made with semola it’s very easy to handle and reshape if you need too (also delicious!).
Delicious. Love the aroma and taste of the fennel seeds.
my first time trying this recipe, and my employer loved it so much. They said; they felt like , they were eating in a restorant! Thank you for this recipe.
This has become one of my favorite meals to make! So flavorful and absolutely delicious! New family favorite…. Thank you for sharing!
Aw I’m so happy you all enjoy it 🙂
Can you use regular spaghetti for this recipe, can’t find in stores & too expensive on Amazon…
Of course, any pasta will do. You can also make your own Pici with our recipe here https://www.insidetherustickitchen.com/pici-pasta/ enjoy :-)!
I’m making this now for my second time. Love it. Thank you!
So happy that you’re enjoying it!
A tablespoon of fennel seeds?
I guess it should be a teaspoon.
You forgot to mention how/when you incorporated the fennel seeds…Otherwise, it sounds great and I will use it as inspiration for my dinner tonight.
Opps sorry about that Janet, well spotted! I’ve updated the recipe now, they get added with the rosemary and pepper. I hope you enjoy!
I would love to try this recipe however where in the world would I buy pici pasta.. Is it readily available?
Hey Arleen, I’m not too sure, you could try an Italian speciality food store if there is one near you or online. Alternatively, you could use the thickest spaghetti you can find. Thick square spaghetti may be more readily available in supermarkets which would work great too.
You can use bucatini.
As soon as I saw that chubby pasta I had to know what it was! I had no idea Cacio e Pepe was made with a special pasta, I thought it was just a fat spaghetti, now I have to keep an eye out for the pasta to make this in the future.
I love cooking with pici it’s not only delicious but a fun change too, definitely try it if you find it!
Why have I nev er tried pici before?! This looks LUSH. I also love susage in pasta so this is right up my street 🙂
It really is soo good and a bit more fun than normal spaghetti too!