Spicy Sausage Rigatoni – Nicky’s Kitchen Sanctuary

Cook the pasta as per the pack instructions, then drain, reserving one cup of the pasta water.

300 g (10.5oz) dried rigatoni pasta

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.

2 tbsp olive oil

Add the onion, red pepper, garlic and chopped chilli, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.

1 small onion, 1 red pepper, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 red or green chilli

Remove the skins from the sausages, then add the sausage meat to the pan. Fry for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the sausage meat with a wooden spoon, until browned.

400 g (14oz) good quality pork sausages

Add the tomato puree, pepper, chilli flakes and oregano and stir together, then add in the tinned tomatoes. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

2 tbsp tomato puree, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 400 g (14oz) tin finely chopped tomatoes

Give the sauce a taste and add a little salt if needed (you may not need it, depending on how heavily seasoned the sausages are).

¼ tsp salt

Add the cooked pasta, cream and half of the basil. Stir together to combine. If you want to loosen up the sauce, add in splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water whilst stirring.

60 ml (¼ cup) double (heavy) cream, Small bunch fresh basil

Heat for a further 1-2 minutes, to heat through the cream, then turn off the heat.

Serve topped with the rest of the fresh basil and some grated parmesan.

Grated parmesan cheese