6 - Italian fennel sausages (, cut into 1.5cm-thick slices)
1 - onion (, large peeled and chopped)
1 - fennel bulb (, trimmed and roughly chopped; reserve any fronds to garnish)
0.5 tsp - smoky paprika (½ tsp)
1 - garlic (, clove, peeled and sliced)
2 - fennel seeds (, tsp lightly toasted and then gently crushed)
100 mls - red wine
400 g - chopped tomatoes (, tinned)
0.5 tsp - caster sugar (½ tsp)
50 g - pitted black olives (, cut in half lengthways)
500 g - rigatoni
30 g - pecorino (, roughly crumbled into 0.5cm pieces)
1 - anchovy fillet (, rinsed and patted dry)
1 - garlic (, clove, peeled and crushed)
60 mls - olive oil
50 g - basil leaves (, torn)
Instructions
Heat 2 ½ tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan with a lid over medium-high heat.2. Add 6 Italian fennel sausages. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Cook until the sausages are golden-brown.3. Transfer the sausages to a plate and set aside.4. Add 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped fennel bulb to the same hot pan.5. Fry for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onion and fennel are soft and golden-brown. If the pan becomes dry, add 1 teaspoon of extra olive oil.6. Stir in ½ tsp smoky paprika, 1 sliced garlic clove, and half of the 2 tsp crushed fennel seeds.7. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.8. Pour in 100 ml red wine. Boil for 30 seconds to reduce the wine by half.9. Add 400 g chopped tomatoes, ½ tsp caster sugar, 100 ml water, the seared sausages, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well.10. Cover the pan with the lid. Simmer for 30 minutes.11. Remove the lid after 10 minutes of simmering. Continue to cook, uncovered, until the sauce becomes thick and rich.12. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 50 g pitted black olives and the remaining fennel seeds. Set the sauce aside.13. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.14. Add 500 g rigatoni pasta to the boiling water.15. Cook the pasta for 12 to 14 minutes, or according to package instructions, until it is al dente (firm to the bite).16. While the pasta cooks, gently reheat the sausage sauce if it has cooled.17. Drain the cooked pasta well. Return the drained pasta to the pot.18. Stir 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the pasta. Divide the pasta evenly among serving bowls.19. To make the pesto, combine 30 g pecorino, 1 anchovy fillet, 1 crushed garlic clove, and 60 ml olive oil in a small food processor. Do not add the basil yet.20. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the food processor. Blend until a rough paste forms.21. Add 50 g torn basil leaves to the food processor. Blend briefly until the basil is just combined. Avoid overmixing the basil to maintain texture.22. Spoon the reheated sausage sauce over the pasta in each bowl.23. Add a spoonful of the prepared pesto on top of the sauce.24. If you have them, sprinkle chopped fennel fronds (reserved from the fennel bulb) over each serving.25. Serve immediately.