Sausage Fennel Rocket Fusilli Recipes

SPICY SAUSAGE FUSILLI

Steps:

• Crumble the chillies into a pestle and mortar, then bash with the fennel seeds until coarsely crushed. Put to one side.
• Heat a lug of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins or add the pork mince to the pan, really breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Fry for a few minutes, or until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then push it down once more so it resembles coarse mince.
• Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelised.
• Stir in the oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Finely grate over the zest of 1 lemon, then squeeze over the juice and turn the heat down to low.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions.
• When the pasta has cooked but still has a bit of bite, drain it in a colander, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the meat pan, then toss to coat in all those lovely flavours, loosening with a good splash of the reserved cooking water, if needed.
• Grate in the Parmesan, then pick, roughly chop and add the parsley leaves. Taste and check the seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.
• Jamie's top tip Remember to buy the best sausages you can afford - if you get cheap, dodgy sausages it just won't work.

SWEET ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a bowl combine the pork, curing salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, garlic, sugar and cayenne pepper. Mix to make sure seasonings are well distributed throughout the pork. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• To prepare the forcemeat, pass the mixture through a meat grinder using the large hole plate. Transfer to an electric mixer, using the paddle on the lowest speed, and mix for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and slowly add the stock and mix for 2 minutes. Switch to high speed and mix for 30 seconds.
• To form the sausages, place about a cup of forcemeat in a 12 by 16-inch piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a 1 1/2 by 8-inch sausage and wrap with the plastic to a tight roll. Tie both ends by forming a knot. Wrap again in aluminum foil. Repeat the process until all forcemeat is used.
• In a large saute pan bring court bouillon to a simmer. Poach the prepared sausages for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Allow to cool and unwrap sausages. In a cast iron pan, over high heat, saute the sausages in olive oil until nicely browned. Slice and serve with honey mustard and minced onion.

PROPER BLOKES' SAUSAGE FUSILLI

Steps:

• Bash up the fennel seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar or Flavor Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to color and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.
• Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the package instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavors then add the butter, Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

FENNEL AND SAUSAGE RAGù OVER PASTA

Steps:

• Trim stems from fennel bulb and cut away any brown spots from outer layer. Chop and reserve 2 tablespoons fronds and chop bulb. Sauté fennel bulb and onion in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until beginning to brown. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a fork, until no longer pink. Add wine and simmer until reduced by about half, then add marinara sauce and simmer, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
• While sauce simmers, cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and toss with sauce. Sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds.

SAUSAGE & FENNEL ORECCHIETTE

Steps:

• Boil a large pan of salted water, turn the heat down to medium, then add the leek, sliced fennel and broccoli, and simmer for 3 mins until tender. Lift the veg out of the water using a slotted spoon, drain and set aside. Keep the pan of water on the heat, add the orecchiette and cook for around 11 mins, or until tender but still retaining some bite.
• Meanwhile, put a large frying pan over a high heat, add the olive oil and squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins, tearing it into small pieces in the pan using a wooden spoon. Fry for 3-4 mins until golden brown and almost cooked, then add the garlic, fennel seeds and tomato purée, and fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the blanched veg and grated carrot, and cook for another 4 mins. Tip in the tomatoes, bring to the boil, then simmer for around 4 mins until reduced slightly.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water, and toss the pasta in the pan with the sausage and tomato sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen. Season and serve with the reserved fennel fronds scattered over the top.

SAUSAGE & FENNEL SEED SLICES

Steps:

• Put the skinned sausages in a bowl and squish together with your hands, then divide into two balls. Place one ball of sausagemeat onto a long piece of cling film. Roll into a cylinder approx 30cm long. Wrap tightly in the cling film and place on a plate or tray in the fridge. Repeat with the other ball of sausagemeat.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay the pastry out on your work surface and cut it into four equal strips lengthways. Roll two of the strips out a little more with a rolling pin so that they are 40cm long and 10cm wide. Unwrap the sausagemeat, place each one in the middle of a rolled-out pastry length and sprinkle each with half the fennel seeds. On either side of the meat, cut regular slits from the edge up to the meat - do this all the way round to create 2cm tabs. Fold over the ends. Starting at one end, bring up one tab from one side and drape it over the meat, then do the same with one from the opposite side. Repeat with the other strip of sausagemeat. Brush both with egg, then lift onto baking trays.
• Cut each of the remaining strips of pastry into three strips lengthways and plait together. Lay the plait on top of the sausage pastries and brush with more egg.
• Bake in the oven for 40 mins or until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven, transfer to a large board and slice - or allow your guests to serve themselves. Can be served hot or cold.

ITALIAN FENNEL SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine salt, fennel seed and red-pepper flakes. Add pork to the spice mixture along with the garlic, and wine. Using your hands, mix thoroughly for 1 full minute, until the pork begins to appear tacky and sticks to the palm of your hand.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Use a heaping tablespoon of pork mixture to make a small, thin sausage patty. Add a teaspoon or so of olive oil, and cook the patty for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Taste, and if needed, add salt or any other seasonings to the uncooked sausage mixture and mix to combine.
• Divide and form the remaining sausage into 8 2 1/2-inch patties, placing them on the prepared baking sheet as you go. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. (Patties can be made ahead and covered and refrigerated or frozen at this point until ready to use.)
• To cook, wipe out cast-iron pan, and return to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When it shimmers, add patties in a single layer, leaving space between them. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned on the surface and just cooked through.
• Drain sausages on paper towels, and serve hot.

3-INGREDIENT ORECCHIETTE WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and browned and crispy in spots, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
• Add sliced fennel to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, adding 1/4 cup water to skillet as bottom begins to brown (you may need to do this a few times), until soft and caramelized, 10-15 minutes more.
• Add pasta and reserved pasta cooking liquid to skillet and cook, tossing to coat, until liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and fennel fronds, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.