Spiced sausage and slightly bitter curly endive come together in a rich pasta sauce. Lemon zest and hard cheese make it fresh and savory, without letting the curly endive fade into the background.
Curly endive has a distinctive, slightly bitter flavor that pairs well with rich, savory meat. In this dish, the greens are joined by Italian sausage: the juicy, spiced meat makes the sauce richer, while the curly endive adds freshness and a hearty bite. Fennel seeds echo the anise notes often found in Italian sausage. If your sausage is already generously seasoned with fennel, use a little less fennel seed.
Finely chop the curly endive so the green leaves and firmer parts of the head are evenly distributed through the pasta. Even after wilting, the greens remain an important part of the sauce, not just a garnish. They release moisture; pasta water helps bind that moisture with the fat from the sausage into a thin, glossy coating. Add it a little at a time: the sauce should cling to the pasta, not pool at the bottom of the pan.
Short pasta such as rigatoni, penne or fusilli works well here. The ridges and hollows catch bits of sausage and curly endive. Cook the pasta until al dente and finish mixing it in the pan so it can absorb some of the sauce. A splash of pasta water is more useful here than extra oil. Salt the cooking water generously, but taste the sauce before adding more salt: Italian sausage and grated hard cheese can both be quite salty already.
Curly endive is generally easy to find; choose a firm head with fresh green leaves and keep it chilled until you’re ready to use it. Can’t find Italian sausage? Use fresh pork sausage and add the fennel seeds as directed. Mild sausage keeps the flavor gentle and spiced; a hot variety adds more heat, but makes the lemon especially welcome. Parmesan is a good choice, but another hard, sharp cheese works too. Don’t leave out the lemon zest: it lifts the savory and bitter flavors beautifully.
Serve the pasta straight away, while the sauce is silky and the curly endive still has a little bite. A simple salad with a tangy dressing goes well alongside, but there’s no need for an extra vegetable side. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container soon after eating and use within two days. Reheat them in a pan with a small splash of water until piping hot; this will loosen the pasta again.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Before draining, scoop out 150 ml of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage meat out of its casings into the pan and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it up as it browns. Break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon.
Add the fennel seeds and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the curly endive in batches and let it wilt.
Add a splash of pasta water and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the drained pasta and toss for 1–2 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed, until the sauce lightly coats the pasta.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest and about three-quarters of the Parmesan. Taste and season with black pepper and, if needed, salt. Divide among four plates and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
Main courseA hearty bowl of tender pearl barley, sweet cumin-roasted carrots and golden-brown chickpeas. The fresh sauce of herbs, lemon and tahini brings it all together, while toasted sesame adds a little crunch.
Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.