CAVATELLI WITH FENNEL SAUSAGE, BROWN BUTTER AND CRISPY SAGE

Cavatelli with Fennel Sausage, Brown Butter and Crispy Sage image

When winter isn't quite ready to shed its coat and enter spring, hearty, simple, stick-to-the-ribs meals are best. There's barely anything at the farmers market, so we turn to our pantries instead. What I love about this recipe is that you can use your favorite fennel sausage instead of making it from scratch. That brings the cooking time to 20 minutes, tops. I'm of the mind that brown butter improves anything and when mixed with fragrant sage and fennel, it's such a satisfying combination. You can try this recipe with any pasta you like, but I like the texture of the cavatelli best. Enjoy!

Provided by Claire Thomas : Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fennel Sausage (recipe follows) or 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite fresh fennel sausage, casings removed and sausage crumbled into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 sage leaves, chopped, plus whole fried leaves for garnish (optional)
1/2 cup dry white wine
10 ounces cavatelli pasta
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
1 1/2 pounds ground pork shoulder
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the sausage in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cook until the sausage is fully cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the sausage to a plate and return the skillet to the heat.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, add the butter and the chopped sage to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the butter is browned and smells nutty. Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol has cooked off, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, add the pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and fried sage leaves and serve immediately.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until well combined. Gently roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and set aside on a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 4 days.

*** Explore more Cavatelli With Fennel Sausage, Brown Butter And Crispy Sage Recipes »

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Salam Sheikh

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This recipe is a great way to use up leftover sausage. I had some Italian sausage in the fridge and this dish was the perfect way to use it up. The crispy sage added a nice touch.

Angelo Steve

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I made this dish for a dinner party and it was a hit! Everyone raved about the unique flavor combination. The crispy sage was the perfect touch.

MaKayla West-Snider

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This dish was a bit too salty for my taste. I would recommend using less salt in the sauce.

Shakayla Moultrie

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I'm not a big fan of fennel, but I tried this recipe anyway and I was pleasantly surprised. The fennel sausage was not overpowering and the crispy sage added a nice touch. I would definitely make this again.

naeema Hafeez

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This recipe is a great way to impress your guests. It's easy to make and the flavors are amazing. The crispy sage is the perfect finishing touch.

Hassan Aplu like this

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I made this dish for my family and they loved it! The fennel sausage and crispy sage were a big hit. I will definitely be making this again.

Ghorzang Hamraz

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This dish was delicious and easy to make. I used store-bought cavatelli and it turned out great. The sauce was flavorful and the crispy sage added a nice touch.

Naima Abderrahim

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I'm a big fan of pasta dishes and this one is definitely one of my favorites. The fennel sausage and crispy sage add so much flavor. I will definitely be making this again.

Psycho dad1313

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This recipe is a great way to use up leftover sausage. I had some Italian sausage in the fridge and this dish was the perfect way to use it up. The crispy sage added a nice touch.

ben taken

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I followed the recipe exactly and the dish turned out great. The only thing I would change is to add a little more salt and pepper to the sauce.

Philip Ndoli

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This dish was easy to make and very flavorful. I used Italian sausage instead of fennel sausage and it was still delicious. I will definitely be making this again.

Meagan Edmonds

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Maira Chaudhary

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This recipe is a keeper! I've made it several times now and it always turns out great. I love the way the browned butter and crispy sage add richness and texture to the dish.

Chinedu Daniel

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I made this dish for a dinner party and it was a hit! Everyone raved about the unique flavor combination. The crispy sage was the perfect touch.

Md Jidan

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I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. The cavatelli was cooked al dente and the sauce was flavorful and creamy. My family loved it!