Sausage Alfredo Pasta with Fried Sage
Fettuccine tossed in a garlicky cream sauce with browned Italian sausage and crisp fried sage.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Large pot
- Paper towel lined plate
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb dry fettuccine pasta
- 2 tsp kosher salt for the pasta water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 20 fresh sage leaves whole
- ½ lb hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
Instructions
Cooking
- Cook the pasta. Boil the fettuccine in salted water to al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and drain.
- Crisp the sage. Heat the olive oil until shimmering and fry the sage in batches for a few seconds until crisp, then drain on paper towels.
- Brown the sausage. Cook the sausage chunks in the same oil for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and 160 degrees F inside, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then move the meat to a plate and pour off the extra fat.
- Build the sauce. Bring the cream to a low boil in the skillet, scraping up the browned bits, then return the sausage and add pepper.
- Toss and top. Toss in the pasta, loosen with pasta water if needed, and finish with the cheese and fried sage.
Notes
Substitutions: Use mild sausage for less heat or half and half for a lighter sauce.
Tips: Skip salt in the sauce, since the sausage and cheese are already salty.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat to 165 degrees F. Do not freeze.