Pasta Salsiccia,
Cipolla e Carciofi
Sausage, onion, and artichoke pasta
The onion-based sausage pasta with artichokes folded in — a fuller, more layered version than the plain salsiccia e cipolla, and a different approach from my mother's crumbled two-pan method. Finished, as always, with plenty of Parmigiano.
This sits between two other pastas in the same family. It has the onion base of pasta salsiccia e cipolla, and the artichokes of penne con salsiccia e carciofi, but it builds them together in one pan rather than keeping the sausage and vegetable separate. The onion goes in first and is given time to soften and sweeten, the artichokes follow and cook down alongside it, and the crumbled sausage joins last, browning into the mixture rather than being kept as a distinct component. The result is a rounder, more melded sauce than either of its two relatives — closer to a single sauce than an assembly of parts.
The recipe
For six. Rigatoni or penne rigate work well.
Pasta Salsiccia, Cipolla e Carciofi — sausage, onion, and artichoke, melded in one pan. Click to enlarge.
400 gNeapolitan sausage, crumbled
1 large, thinly slicedOnion
4–5, cleaned and slicedArtichokes
1 cloveGarlic
To tasteExtra virgin olive oil
OptionalA splash of white wine
Grated, generouslyParmigiano Reggiano
To tasteSalt and black pepper
500 gRigatoni or penne rigate
1
Heat olive oil in a wide pan and cook the sliced onion slowly with a pinch of salt until soft and sweet, about 10 minutes.
2
Add the garlic and sliced artichokes, and cook covered over medium-low heat until the artichokes are tender, 10–15 minutes, adding a little water if the pan dries out.
3
Push the vegetables to one side, add the crumbled sausage, and brown it in the same pan. Deglaze with white wine if using and let it evaporate, then mix everything together.
4
Season with salt and pepper and keep warm while the pasta cooks.
5
Cook the pasta, drain reserving some water, and toss with the sauce, loosening with pasta water as needed. Finish with a generous amount of Parmigiano and serve immediately.
Related sausage pastas
Pasta salsiccia e cipolla
The plainer, two-ingredient version this one builds on. See
the full recipe.
Penne con salsiccia e carciofi
My mother's two-pan method — no onion, sausage crumbled and kept as a distinct element. See
the full recipe.
Buon appetito.
