Sausage and Herb Pasta

Sausage and Herb Pasta

At this time of the year, with the rain pelting down, wind howling and fires blazing, there's nothing better than a warm, comforting dinner to cheer you up. The weather has been creeping steadily downward in this part of the world for the past few weeks and it now seems inevitable that we are back to our usual October....damp and miserable.

It is at this stage of the year that I can't help but crave Stews, Shepard's Pie and other belly warming delights to perk up the spirits and provide the necessary sustenance to face the pouring rain. This is a simple yet very comforting recipe. The herbs give it a punchy flavour that for me sits perfectly in Winter time while the tomatoes are a throwback to the summer just past. This could be made "Irishy" by serving on a bed of mashed Potatoes but I'll stick to its Italian roots, served with Tagliatelle.

Serves 4

*3 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
*1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)
*1 Clove Garlic (finely chopped)
*3 Smoked Rashers (chopped)
*8 Skinless Sausages (chopped)
*1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
*1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
*1 tbsp Tomato Puree
*2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes
*1 and 1/2 tsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
*2 tsp Sugar
*100ml Cream
*Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
*Chilli Flakes

To Serve:
*500g Tagliatelle (cooked al dente)
*Freshly Grated Parmesan

1. Saute the Onion and Garlic in the Oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until soft. Add the Rashers and Sausages with the dried herbs and cook for 5 minutes to lightly colour. Season well with Salt and Pepper.

2. Add the Tomato Puree and a good pinch of Chilli Flakes and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the cans of Chopped Tomatoes, 1tsp of Fresh Rosemary and the Sugar. Turn down the heat, put the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the Cream and remaining 1/2 tsp of Rosemary and stir in. Simmer for a further 10 minutes with no lid, check the seasoning and add more Salt/Pepper if necessary. Serve with some Tagliatelle and a nice sprinkling of Parmesan on top.

Variations

This dish would work as a great base to add a ton of veggies to. You could easily add some finely chopped Carrot, Celery, Courgette, Chillies, Peppers and even fresh Tomatoes to give it a serious nutrient hit. The herbs could be swapped out for whatever you like, Sage would work very well. It could also be done with almost any meat or fish, the options are endless!