Comfort
Loaded Conchiglie with Sausage & Spinach
Fennel-flecked beef sausage, wilted spinach and a glossy tomato sauce all caught inside Cibo di Italia Conchiglie Rigate shells. A hearty bowl that feeds a hungry table after a long day.
Ingredients
- 400 g Cibo di Italia Conchiglie Rigate
- 400 g beef or chicken sausages — skins removed; fennel-spiced is ideal
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 piece medium onion — finely chopped
- 3 pieces garlic cloves — finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds — lightly crushed
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes — optional
- 400 g chopped tomatoes — one tin
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 200 g baby spinach
- 40 g parmesan — grated
- to taste salt and black pepper
Method
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Step 1. Bring 4 litres of salted water (2 tbsp salt) to the boil for the pasta.
8 min
-
Step 2. Heat the olive oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Crumble in the sausage meat in chunks and brown for 5 minutes, breaking up with a spoon.
5 min
-
Step 3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and a pinch of salt; cook 5 minutes until softened.
5 min
-
Step 4. Stir in the garlic, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and tomato paste. Cook 90 seconds until fragrant and the paste darkens.
2 min
-
Step 5. Pour in the chopped tomatoes plus half a tin of water. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until rich and glossy.
10 min
-
Step 6. Drop the conchiglie into the boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes — taste at 9 for al dente.
10 min
-
Step 7. Stir the spinach into the sauce in big handfuls; it wilts in 1 minute. Season to taste.
1 min
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Step 8. Scoop out a mug of pasta water. Drain the conchiglie, fold into the sauce with a splash of pasta water, and toss until coated. Serve topped with parmesan.
1 min
Goes well with
Iced hibiscus tea with orange slices and a sprig of mint.
A peppery rocket salad with shaved parmesan and a lemon dressing.
Affogato — vanilla ice cream with a shot of hot espresso poured over.
Nutrition
Scaled to your servings
- 757kcalCalories38%
- 80.8gCarbohydrate31%
- 33.2gProtein66%
- 35.6gFat51%
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Conchiglie Rigate
500g · Cooks in 10–12 minutes · Serves ~5
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