GROCERY LIST:

• Olive Oil
• 1 fennel bulb (diced)
  • Fennel is weird. I’m still not sure how to use it. Cut the stems off, take off the outer layer of the bulb, then dice it. It smells weird too…
• 1 lb mild Italian sausage
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 1 fennel bulb (diced)
• 1 lb Egg Pappardelle
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• A couple spoonfuls of Calabrian Chilies (less if you’re spicy-intolerant)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 24 oz tomato purée (I like Passada)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (you’ll want to plate it)
• Cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil
  • Make sure you salt the water! Big generous pinch.
• Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Once hot, drop in olive oil, and add the sausage.
• Set the sausage aside and drain most of the grease out of the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter, then add fennel and onion, cooking until the onion are tender
• Drop the pappardelle into the boiling water, stir, and cook to al dente.
• Add garlic to the fennel and onions, then cook until fragrant
• Pour in white wine and let it cook off for a few minutes
• Add Passada, heavy cream, oregano and sausage, then simmer for about 5 minutes on medium low heat.
• Save a cup or so of pasta water, then drain your pasta.
• Add the pasta and a ladle of pasta water to the sauce, and slowly add Parmesan cheese
• Serve with more fresh parm, cracked black pepper, and the rest of that white wine that you bought and only used 1/2 a cup of…