Today, October 25, marks World Pasta Day, a global celebration of all things related to Italian cuisine. What better way to join in the festivities than by whipping up a quick and delicious dish that’s sure to tantalise your tastebuds?
This scrumptious recipe comes courtesy of Gousto, the recipe subscription box service, and features a spicy sausage kick. But don’t worry if you’re not a fan of heat – there’s a creamy sauce to balance it out.
The pasta dish serves two, making it ideal for sharing with a partner or flatmate, or saving some for leftovers the next day. Best of all, it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, so it’s perfect for a speedy post-work meal, reports the Express.
Here’s how to make a spicy sausage and creamy tomato sauce with fresh tagliatelle:
Ingredients:
- Chicken stock mix (11g)
- Soft cheese (50g)
- Fresh tagliatelle (250g)
- Finely chopped tomatoes (200g)
- Grated Italian hard cheese (30g)
- Sausage meat (150g)
- Dried chilli flakes (0.5tsp)
- Spinach (80g)
- Garlic clove
- A splash of olive oil
- Pepper
- Salt
Method:
Start by boiling a kettle, then heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over high heat. Add your sausage meat to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook for three to four minutes or until it starts to brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go.
While that’s cooking, peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic, and wash your spinach. Add your fresh tagliatelle to a pot of boiled water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook the tagliatelle for an initial three to four minutes, or until it’s cooked but still has a bit of bite.
Once the sausage meat begins to brown, toss in the chopped garlic and most of your chilli flakes into the pan and cook for an additional minute or until it releases a fragrant aroma. If you’re not one for spice, feel free to go easy on the chilli.
Once the mixture is aromatic, pour in your chicken stock mix, soft cheese and chopped tomatoes into the pan and give it a good stir. Allow it to cook for another two to three minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the sausage meat is thoroughly cooked.
Ensure there’s no pink meat left.
When the tagliatelle is ready, throw in the spinach to the pot and let it cook for about 15 seconds or until it wilts. Once done, drain the pasta and spinach, making sure to save a cup of the starchy pasta water.
Combine the tagliatelle and spinach with half of your grated Italian hard cheese (keep the rest for garnish) into the sauce and gently mix everything together until the pasta is well coated. If the sauce appears a bit dry, add a splash of the starchy pasta water.
Serve up the spicy sausage and creamy tomato sauce with fresh tagliatelle, topped off with the remaining grated Italian hard cheese. Sprinkle the remaining chilli flakes as garnish and season with a generous grind of black pepper, then tuck in and enjoy.