Sausage & ricotta penne

serves 4
ingredients
4 pepperoni sausages
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
150ml/5fl oz red wine
100ml/31⁄2fl oz passata or
tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh
basil leaves
300g/11oz dried penne
100g/4oz ricotta cheese
50g/2oz Parmesan cheese,
freshly grated
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
• Put the sausages in a frying pan
and cover with water. Bring to the
boil, then simmer until the water
evaporates. Cool, remove the meat
from the casings and crumble.
• Fry the onion and fennel in the oil
until soft. Add the sausage, wine
and passata or tomato sauce.
Cook for 10 minutes. Add the basil
and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the penne in lightly salted
boiling water until al dente, then
drain. Stir in the sauce.
• Put 1 tablespoon ricotta on each
plate. Spoon the pasta over the
top, and sprinkle with Parmesan.