Fettuccine with Sausage, Fennel and Ricotta

As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, I want something more substantial than what I’ve been eating through the hot summer. Something fresh but filling. Last week, it was particularly cool and I settled in on this dish. Its creamy, filling and satisfying without being overbearing and heavy. You could swap the sausage for mushrooms and have a wonderful vegetarian main or you can leave the sausage if you’re feeling carnivorous. Either way, you’ll love how creamy and starchy this dish is and how easy it is to prepare.

Ingredients

1lb Fettuccine
1lb ground Italian sausage
1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red Fresno chili, seeded and sliced
1 C ricotta

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

2. In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium high heat, remove from pan and set aside. Add some olive oil and heat over medium high heat and saute the fennel until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the pepper and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet and mix.

3. Combine 1/2 C of the reserved pasta water and the ricotta and stir until smooth. Add to the fennel mixture and toss with pasta, adding more pasta water if necessary.