We have made this recipe many times, in fact, if you have been to our house for dinner, chances are you have had it. The kids don’t like it so spicy so I will substitute sweet italian sausage for the hot when I make it for them. They usually gobble it up!

Ready

• ½ lb. hot Italian sausage, casings discarded
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced thin (about 2 cups)
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ Lb. Fusilli or Rigatoni
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• Freshly grated Parmesan, to taste

Set

• Heavy skillet
• Slotted spoon
• Paper towels
• Large pot for pasta
• Large bowl

Go

1. In a heavy skillet cook the sausage over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until it is cooked through and transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
2. Add the oil to the skillet and in it cook the onion and garlic over moderately low heat, stirring until the onion is softened.
3. Add the bell pepper and the fennel and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the bell pepper and fennel are softened.
4. Add the wine and broth, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes.
5. Add the cream and boil the mixture until it ts thickened slightly and reduced by about one third.
6. In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the pasta until it is al dente and drain it well.
7. Stir in to the fennel mixture the parsley, the sausage, and salt and pepper to taste and in a bowl toss the sauce with the pasta and the Parmesan.

What you should know

This recipe serves 2 but is easily doubled. Takes about 45 minutes.