Spicy Calabrian Sausage Ragu with Stracciatella
Use the camera icon to toggle with step by step photos on and off. A rich and spicy Calabrian sausage ragu topped with creamy stracciatella cheese and Parmigiano.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 400 g (14oz) spicy Calabrian sausages skins removed (see notes)
- 1 carrot peeled
- 1 celery stick
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) red wine (can omit if preferred)
- 400 g (14 oz or 1 and 1/3 cups) passata (tomato puree US)
- 400 ml (1 and 1/2 cups) water
- 150 g (5oz) stracciatella cheese for serving (or 1 ball of burrata)
- Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
- 400 g (14oz) Rigatoni or pasta of choice
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion, then add to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Once hot, add the Calabrian sausages, breaking them up with a wooden spoon into small pieces. Fry the sausage meat until well browned (about 4-5 minutes).
- Remove any excess fat from the pan, making sure only 2-3 tablespoons remain, then add the diced vegetables. Saute the vegetables on a medium heat until soft.
- Once softened, add the finely chopped garlic, rosemary and bay leaves and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the red wine and let it reduce by half whilst scraping any brown bits from the pan and mixing them into the sauce.
- Next, add the passata and fill the jar back up with water (400ml/1 and 1/2 cups). Give it a shake, then add the water to the sauce. Season it with salt and pepper, then let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Once boiling, cook your pasta until al dente. Once ready, transfer your pasta to the sauce and stir to coat well in the sauce.
- Serve in bowls topped with a few spoonfuls of stracciatella cheese (or burrata) and a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- Calabrian sausages are made with pork and Calabrian chilli paste. You can use regular Italian sausages and add either Calabrian chilli paste (about 1 tablespoon or more as needed), Nduja (about 2.5oz or 70g) or fresh red chilli as an alternative.
- Prep in advance - you can prep the ragu in advance and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove until piping hot. Leftovers with pasta will keep well in the fridge for 1-2 days before the pasta becomes too soft.
- Freezing - you can freeze the ragu for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before reheating on the stove until piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 844kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 1034mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3317IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 4mg
