Sausage Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta
A slow-braised sausage ragu that takes your meat sauce to the next level, served over wide pappardelle ribbons.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 celery stalks, grated
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 350g pork sausages, meat removed from casings
- 350g beef sausages, meat removed from casings
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup pinot noir red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 400g can crushed tomato
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes, optional
- 500g pappardelle pasta
- Grated parmesan, to serve
- Parsley, chopped, optional garnish
Method
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Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
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Heat oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and fennel seeds. Cook for 8 minutes until the carrot softens.
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Increase heat to high. Add sausage meat, breaking it up as it cooks until browned.
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Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in wine and simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half, scraping the bottom of the pot clean.
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Add crushed tomato, stock, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and chilli flakes if using. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
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Remove from oven and mash the meat finer with a potato masher. Cover and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes.
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Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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Cook pappardelle according to packet directions. Reserve 1½ cups of pasta cooking water before draining.
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Add drained pasta to the ragu pot with ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Toss until the sauce coats every strand, adding more cooking water as needed.
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Plate in warm bowls and garnish with grated parmesan and parsley.