Looks Delic
You know that feeling when something seems too good to be true? It usually is, right? Somehow that’s not the case with this recipe. Ina Garten has a way about her cooking that is so effortless and miraculously always comes out tasting like you spent all day slaving away in the kitchen. Keep this in mind the next time you’re trying to decide what you should make for guests – her recipes will without a doubt impress and still leave you with time to clean the house.
With so many nights being hectic because of the kids after school activities schedule, Ina’s recipes are great weeknight go-to’s for us. I’ll admit they often have ingredients that most of us wouldn’t consider “pantry staples” but if you plan ahead a little and get your grocery shopping done in advance, you will definitely be rewarded with some very delicious dinners.
About the Ingredients
In this recipe, the fennel is probably the ingredient that is mostly likely to throw you for a loop. Will the kids eat it? Will my husband or wife eat it? Will my guests eat it? Yes. Yes. And yes. Fennel is a bulb vegetable with stalks and sprouts on the end. Picture an oval shaped onion with celery stalks attached to it and you’ve kind of got a mental image. You can just chop those stalks off and discard them, peel off the outer layer of what’s left and dice it like an onion.
Fennel has a very distinctive flavor. I hesitate to use this word but it’s a licorice flavor. I hesitate because I myself despise licorice. I sense that it might be a turn off for some people but don’t be deterred. I promise you it is actually yummy goodness.
The Recipe for Sausage and Fennel Pasta
This recipe is available on the Food Network website and is titled Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel (just click the recipe title link and it will take you to it). The recipe is very easy to follow and I followed it exactly as it’s written. The only adjustment I made was a pasta swap. I didn’t have rigatoni on hand so I used bow-tie pasta. You can use any noodle you prefer but keep in mind that a shape with a lot of surface area is ideal. A broad noodle helps to get a lot of sauce and some veggies and sausage in each bite.
I served this sausage and fennel pasta with some fresh bread and a green salad. If you give it a try don’t forget to leave a comment below and let me know what you thought. Enjoy!
