SAUSAGES AND RIGATONI ALLA FILOMENA by Camille Aubray

Recently I've been inspired by the plucky main character, Filomena, in my novel THE GODMOTHERS, to make this dish of rigatoni and sausages. It's quick, easy and versatile; for side dishes, you can use the season's vegetables as they become available, spinach or chard or peas or asparagus. As for the wine, go with the weather: On a cold or damp day, serve red wine (chianti, burgundy or bordeaux) and on a warm sunny day serve it with a dry white wine (chablis or soave).

INGREDIENTS (Organic preferred for all)

1 lb. dry rigatoni pasta (or ziti or penne)

28 oz. canned diced or crushed tomatoes

extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium/spicy chicken sausages, fully cooked

1 small garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed

1 carrot, peeled and diced small

1 tender, inner stalk of celery, diced small

1 medium onion, diced small

3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

sweet (unsalted) butter, preferably French

splash of white wine (optional)

splash of beef stock (optional)

freshly ground black pepper (or red pepper flakes)

sea salt

RECIPE:

Set a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Remove the sausage casings (skins) and crumble or dice the sausages into a bowl.

Put the tomatoes in a blender just long enough to make them smooth.

Make the sauce: Choose a large heavy pan with the sides high enough so that you can add the pasta later. Put 5 tablespoons of the olive oil into the pan to heat on medium heat.

When the oil starts to shimmer, drop in the garlic clove and swish it around to perfume the oil but don't let it brown. Then push in the crumbled sausages and keep them moving with a stiff spatula. Once they begin to brown, push them aside and push in the chopped onion, celery and carrot, and move them around until the onion starts to wilt.

Add the splash of white wine, and move it around and let it evaporate a bit, scraping any browned bits, then, add the splash of beef stock and do the same. (If you are not using wine and stock, just add a little bit of water.)

Add the tomatoes and move around. When it starts to simmer, reduce the heat to low, and stir it regularly so that it doesn't stick. Depending on how spicy your sausages are, you can add a few twists of black pepper, or red pepper flakes, and just a bit of sea salt. Let it cook gently and stir frequently while you wait for the pasta. If the sauce gets too thick you can add a bit of water, but don't let the sauce stop simmering.

Cook the pasta according to package timing, then drain completely. While it drains, quickly add 3 tablespoons of sweet butter to your sauce and mix it through, turning the heat up slightly, just enough to blend it. (You can substitute warmed milk or cream instead of butter, or even a dab of bechamel sauce, but I think the sweet butter is just right.)

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss carefully. Add half the grated parmesan cheese and toss again, reserving the rest of the cheese to serve at the table to sprinkle on each plate.

Serve immediately!

All Text and Images ©CamilleAubrayLLC