Pork & Fennel Ragu
Donal's Notes
Now most Italian nonnas would insist a ragu needs to be slow-cooked, but this is a cheat’s version using the best-quality pork sausages you can lay your hands on. The sausage meat is squeezed from the casings and fried until tender and sweet before being smothered in tomato sauce and tossed through freshly cooked pasta. As pasta sauces go, there are few that can deliver instant flavour like this one!
To serve
Instructions
Finely chop the garlic.
Remove the sausages from their casings by slicing down the length of the sausage with the tip of a knife and pulling the sausage meat from their casings. Set aside on a plate.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds or until aromatic and the garlic begins to go golden.
Cook the rigatoni for 12 minutes or so or until al dente, then drain.
Pour in the tomato passata, then add in the frozen spinach, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Bring to a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes until thickened slightly. Check for seasoning and add salt and red chilli flakes as required.
