Fennel Sausage Ragu

I served this pasta at my recent summer supper club, and it was a huge hit! The event was hosted at an Italian café deli that had the most amazing authentic Tuscan fennel sausages, so I just had to feature them on the menu. In my opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy pasta is with a hearty sausage sauce. I slow-cooked this rich, flavourful sauce, and let’s just say, there wasn’t a single plate that didn’t get scraped clean!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 400g Fennel sausage meat (see notes #2)

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 medium carrot, diced

• 1 celery stick, diced

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 400g tomato passata

• 2 bay leaves

• 300ml red wine

• A few sprigs of fresh thyme

• A few sprigs of fresh oregano

• 500g paccheri or pasta of your choice

• olive oil, for cooking

• salt and pepper to taste

• grated parmesan, to serve

Method.

STEP 1:Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the sausage meat to the pot. If you're using cased sausages, be sure to remove the casing at this stage. Break up the sausage with a wooden spoon and let it brown, developing a nice deep colour. Once the sausage is evenly browned, remove it from the pot, but leave the sausage fat behind—it will be used in the next step. Set the cooked sausage aside for now.

STEP 2:In the same pan with the residual sausage fat (feel free to add more olive oil if the sausages didn't produce enough fat), add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize.

STEP 3:Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens slightly. This step will deepen the flavour of the sauce.

STEP 4:Pour in a splash of red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add back in the cooked sausage. Add the remaining wine, tomato passata, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer slowly for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the better the flavours will meld. I let mine simmer for 4 hours, refrigerated it overnight, and then reheated it for another couple of hours before serving. While longer cooking enhances the flavour, even a shorter simmer will still give you a rich-tasting sauce.

STEP 5:When the ragu is nearly done, cook your chosen pasta according to the package instructions in heavily salted boiling water, aiming for al dente.

STEP 6:Before serving, remove the bay leaves from the ragu and taste for seasoning, adjusting with more salt and pepper if needed. If the sauce has thickened too much, you can add a splash of pasta water to loosen it.

STEP 7:Once you’re happy with the sauce, add the drained pasta directly into the pot with the sausage ragu, tossing to coat the pasta evenly. It’s a good idea to reserve some pasta water when draining, as it will help adjust the consistency of the sauce if needed. Serve immediately, topped with grated parmesan and a few fresh herbs (basil works wonderfully here). I served mine with a little pesto for extra flavour.

NOTES.

1. This recipe doesn’t rely on dried spices, so it’s all about letting the fresh ingredients shine. That means buying quality really counts! Opting for high-grade sausages will give you better texture, a perfect fat balance, and more intense, delicious flavours. The tomato paste and passata are equally important—they’re the key to a rich, flavourful sauce.

2. If fennel sausages aren’t available, no worries! Just use any sausages you can find and add 1-2 tablespoons of dried fennel seeds to the sauce when you add the tomato paste, adjusting to your taste.

3. Want to switch things up? This sauce also makes a fantastic, richly flavoured lasagne!