Mushroom, Pork Sausage and Red Wine Ragu with Pappardelle

Mushroom, Pork Sausage and Red Wine Ragu with Pappardelle 

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

4 tbs olive oil

1 large brown onion, diced 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

500g button mushrooms, sliced 

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp chilli flakes 

2 small zucchini, grated

2 thick pork and fennel sausages, meat removed from casing and mashed 

1/2 cup red wine

70g tomato paste 

2 cups full cream milk

375g whole egg pappardelle 

Shaved parmesan and fresh parsley, to serve 

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Cook the onion, for about 5 minutes, until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, be careful not to brown.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes, until starting to caramelize. Add the pepper, paprika, chilli and a pinch of salt and cook for a further minute.

Add the zucchini and sausage meat and cook, stirring and mashing the sausage meat to ensure it doesn’t form into clumps. Cook until zucchini is wilted and meat is browned.

Add the red wine and bring to the boil, simmer, stirring, until most of the wine has evaporated.

Make a space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook for a minute, stirring within the small space to roast the tomato paste. Then mix with the rest of the ingredients in the pan.

Add the milk and stir, bringing to the boil. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring, until milk has reduced by half.

Check for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Turn off the heat. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta to al dente.

Just before straining the pasta, add a ladle or two of the water to the sauce.

Strain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir to combine and coat all of the pasta with the sauce. 

Place into serving bowls and top with the shaved parmesan and fresh parsley.