15 minute sausage and leek pasta

By Vanessa Gianfrancesco

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Ingredients

450 grams pasta noodles of your choice mine fav in this dish are either penne rigate or fussili
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package minced pork meat (my fav is organic and lean, also feel free to use 3 of your favorite sausage links instead)
1 teaspoon salt
Lots of fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 leek halved, thinly sliced
1 zucchini halved thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup cooking cream
1/2 cup parmigiana reggiano, grated (plus extra as a topper)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves cut thinly

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt liberally.
In a large skillet that is on medium high heat add in olive oil. Drop in the minced pork in about quarter size pieces. Fill the pan with little mound of meat.
Season with salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Allow the bottom to cook and get a crispy golden crust. Toss the meat and allow all sides to brown.
Drop your pasta into the boiling water. Follow the directions and cook about one minute shy of what the package recommends. Reserve one cup of cooking water.
In the pan with the meat add in the leeks and the zucchini cook for about two minutes. Then add in the tomato paste and also cook for two minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Allow the wine to reduce then add in the cream.
Using a slotted spoon remove the pasta from the water and toss into the meat mixture. Add the parmigiana cheese and some of the cooking water. Cook for an additional two minutes and allow all the flavors to marry together.
Top with extra parmigiana cheese and fresh basil.

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