Date Night Rigatoni
6 servings
servings30 minutes
active time1 hour
total timeIngredients
1 lb. rigatoni + 2 cups reserved pasta water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped fennel or celery
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed or chopped*
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 cups chopped kale
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions
Pasta
Cook rigatoni according to package directions in well-salted water. Reserve 2 cups of the starchy water when you drain.
Sausage
Heat olive oil in a large, deep pot over medium high heat. Add the fennel and onion. Saute until very soft – about 10 minutes. Add the sausage. Cook, breaking into small pieces, until browned all the way through.
Sauce
Turn the heat down. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, and tomato paste. Sauté until fragrant – about 3 minutes. Add the wine; let it sizzle out. Add the cream; let it come to a low simmer. Stir in the kale. Season with salt.
Fall In Love
Toss sauce with the cooked pasta. Add reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Finish with red pepper flakes and more Parm. Serve with a glass of wine because THIS IS VERY ROMANTIC AND FANCY!
Nutrition
Serving Size
-
Calories
636
Total Fat
30.2 g
Saturated Fat
11.8 g
Unsaturated Fat
-
Trans Fat
0.3 g
Cholesterol
70.9 mg
Sodium
932.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate
65 g
Dietary Fiber
3.6 g
Total Sugars
6.2 g
Protein
23.5 g
6 servings
servings30 minutes
active time1 hour
total time