Sausage Vodka Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 160 g dried pasta (rigatoni recommended)
• 6 reduced fat sausages (Sainsbury's recommended; casings removed)
• 1 brown onion (diced)
• 60 g tomato puree
• 1 tsp garlic (minced)
• 45 ml vodka
• 2 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1 tsp oregano (dried)
• 70 ml single cream
• 180 ml vegetable stock
• 35 g parmesan (plus extra for topping)
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• fresh parsley or basil (chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Dice the brown onion. In a large pan, fry the onion until softened.

2. 2

   Add the sausages to the pan, removing the casings if necessary. Break them down into a crumb-like consistency and cook for roughly 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the garlic, tomato puree, red chilli flakes, and oregano to the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.

5. 5

   Pour the vodka into the sausage mixture and cook for another 2-3 minutes to cook out the alcohol.

6. 6

   Stir in the vegetable stock and single cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the parmesan cheese and simmer for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

8. 8

   Stir in the fresh parsley or basil.

9. 9

   Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss well to coat.

10. 10

    Serve immediately, topped with more parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Both fresh parsley and basil work well as a finishing herb. For the best texture, ensure the sausages are broken down into very small pieces while frying.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• sausage
• vodka sauce
• dinner
• spicy