Casarecce with sausage and mushrooms

Sausages are the pasta cheat’s best friend, bringing an instant hit of flavour and richness. And, of course, the better the sausage, the better the flavour hit.

Prep time 20 mins, cook 12 mins

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

4 thin pork sausages (about 100gm each), removed from casings and crumbled

500 gm cauliflower (about ½ head), cut into florets

4 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced

100 gm Swiss brown mushrooms, coarsely chopped

100 gm chestnut mushrooms, trimmed

125 ml dry white wine

400 gm dried casarecce

Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and finely grated parmesan, to serve

1 Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat, add sausage and fry until browned (4-5 minutes). Add cauliflower and fry until golden (2-3 minutes), add garlic and stir until fragrant (1 minute), then add mushrooms and fry until tender (2-3 minutes). Deglaze pan with wine and keep warm.

2 Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (10-12 minutes). Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, then add pasta and a little water (2-3 tbsp) to sauce, add a sprinkling of parsley, season to taste and toss to combine. Scatter with parmesan and serve.

Wine suggestion Gutsy southern-Italian red such as aglianico.