Spinach and Sausage Garganelli

 

This is a delightfully moreish dish - garlic and spinach combine to create a herbaceous sauce, while the fennel and chilli spiked sausage adds a deeply savoury kick. This is a great way to use up almost old spinach sitting in the fridge, and works beautifully with any short tubular pasta. 

Serves four

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the garganelli

450g tipo 00 flour 

255g eggs - approx 4 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks

 

For the sauce

300g English spinach leaves

1 elephant garlic clove left whole (or 3-4 regular garlic cloves)

3 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

30g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and extra to serve

 

For the sausage

1 tbsp crushed chilli flakes

1 tbsp whole fennel seeds

6 fennel pork sausage links

 

METHOD:

Garganelli

  1. In a large bowl add the flour and create a well in the centre. Gently whisk the eggs before pouring into the well, then using a fork whisk the eggs, slowly incorporating a bit of flour at a time until the mix comes together as a shaggy dough.
  2. Transfer to a work surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, and not sticky at all. If at first you feel that the dough is too wet or dry, knead it for a few minutes to give it a chance to come together on its own, before adjusting with a spritz of water or dusting of flour if necessary.
  3. Cover or store the dough somewhere airtight and leave it to rest for at least 30 min.
  4. Cut the dough into four pieces. Working with one at a time (keeping the other pieces covered while you do), using a pasta machine roll