Cool autumn evenings call for meals that are hearty and comforting. The classic Italian flavours of pork sausage and fennel combine to make a quick and delicious pasta dish that will feed a crowd.
Fennel Seed
Fennel seeds are the dried fruit of the sweet fennel plant. They have an anise (black licorice) flavour and pair well with pork. In Italy’s Tuscan region, fennel salami (finocchiona) is very popular and fennel seeds are often crushed to rub onto meat before roasting or grilling. They impart a delicious burst of anise flavour when chewed. Fennel seeds can be found at most well stocked grocery stores or kitchen shops. Look for whole seeds as opposed to ground ones.
A Lighter Alternative to Cream
Cream is always delicious but with about 50 calories and 6 grams of fat per tablespoon, its heaviness isn’t always welcome. Canned evaporated milk makes a great substitute for cream in many sweet and savoury dishes. It is milk that has been heated to evaporate some of the water making it thicker and creamier than regular milk. However, the fat and calorie content remain relatively low at 20 calories and 1 gram of fat per tablespoon. There are even lower-fat options available including 2% and skim evaporated milk. Don’t confuse it with sweetened condensed milk – they are often side-by-side in the grocery aisle. Sweetened condensed milk has sugar added and is not an acceptable substitute for evaporated milk. Nestle Carnation brand evaporated milk can be found in most supermarkets and many grocers carry a house brand as well.
Penne with Sausage and Fennel Seed
Makes 6 servings
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 5 mild or sweet Italian sausages
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fennel seed
- A 14 oz. (398 ml) can of tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- Pinch of sugar, to taste (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 500 g (1 lb.) dried penne or rigatoni
- Parmesan cheese, to garnish (optional)
- In a large deep skillet or enameled cast iron pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Slice the skins of the sausages lengthwise down the middle and remove the meat from their casings. Discard the casings. Add the sausage meat to the pot and use a spatula or spoon to break up the meat. Add garlic and fennel seeds.
- Cook sausage mixture on medium-high until just browned, about 7 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Add tomatoes and break up with a spoon. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until some of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in tomato paste until thoroughly combined.
- Add evaporated milk and stir into sauce. Let sauce simmer for 5 more minutes. Season to taste with a pinch of sugar (optional – use if the tomatoes are very acidic), salt and pepper. Keep warm on low heat while the penne cooks.
- In a separate large pot with a lid, heat water to cook the penne. Bring to a boil and cook penne until al dente, according to package instructions, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Drain penne and toss with sauce until thoroughly coated. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
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