Hello, foodies! I’m Federico Rossi, a chef with a passion for traditional Italian cuisine. Today, I’m excited to share with you the recipe for a dish that will take your Father’s Day feast to the next level. Say hello to Mafaldine and Fennel Sausage Recipe with Leek Ragu! Trust me; people will love this recipe’s rich, complex flavors and unique blend of textures. The delicious fennel sausage, loaded with savory and sweet flavors, is the perfect protein complement to the silky-smooth leek Ragu sauce. And when paired with Mafaldine, the deceptively simple yet elegant pasta shape, it’s a match made in culinary heaven.
Federico has always been passionate about food. Growing up in a small town in northern Italy, he was surrounded by local trattorias and experienced his first kitchen work at the age of 14. Later, he studied Culinary Arts in Florence and worked in several restaurants in Italy before moving to London. In his free time, Federico enjoys gardening and playing the guitar.
Federico Rossi currently resides in United Kingdom and grew up in Italy.
I grew up in a small town in the Piedmont region of Italy, and cooking has always been a part of my life. When I was a teenager, I spent most of my evenings helping out in my uncle’s local trattoria, soaking up the flavors and the camaraderie of the bustling kitchen. While in college, I refined my culinary skills in Florence, where I learned to love fresh, seasonal ingredients and the art of pasta-making. Over the years, I’ve traveled around Italy, discovering traditional regional recipes and updating them with my contemporary take. Now, living in London, I’ve found a new appreciation for Italian food and incorporating British ingredients into classic Italian dishes.
The recipe we’re discussing today comes from the beautiful region of Puglia in southern Italy. Puglia is known for its rustic cuisine and its cultural traditions that go back to ancient times. Located on the Adriatic Sea, Puglia is fertile ground for growing olives, vegetables, and grapes. It’s also the birthplace of a variety of pasta dishes, including the famous orecchiette, which translates to ‘little ears.’ Mafaldine, the pasta we use in this recipe, is equally unique and named after the famous Princess Mafalda of Savoy. With its long, rippled shape, it’s perfect for grabbing onto hearty sauces, like the one we’re making. The locally made fennel sausage we use adds a subtle sweetness to the dish and is a regional specialty that has been passed down through generations. The recipe may be straightforward, but its flavors honor Puglia’s robust culinary and cultural heritage.
What you need
Father’s Day is all about food, and this Mafaldine and Fennel Sausage Recipe with Leek Ragu is the perfect meal for celebrating with Dad. The dish combines the richness of fennel sausage with the smoothness of leek ragu, served on top of delightful Mafaldine pasta. Mafaldine is an elegant Italian pasta shape that’s perfect for special occasions, and it pairs exceptionally well with dense, creamy sauces. In this recipe, it’s coated with a rich and velvety leek ragu sauce that’s full of depth and flavor. The fennel sausage adds a slightly sweet and savory flavor that’s hard to replicate, but it’s worth seeking out for this dish. Cooking the sausage to crispy perfection before adding it to the pasta gives it a great texture and maximum flavor. This recipe is perfect for any Dad who loves comforting Italian food and trying new flavors.
Ingredients:
- Mafaldine Pasta – Mafaldine is a delicate, flat ribbon pasta that pairs exceptionally well with dense, creamy sauces. It can be swapped with other pasta shapes such as tagliatelle or fettuccine.
- Fennel Sausage – Fennel sausage is a fresh sausage that is flavored with fennel seeds. It adds a slightly sweet and savory flavor to the dish. It can be swapped with spicy Italian sausage or chorizo for a different flavor.
- Leeks – Leeks add a sweet and subtle onion flavor to the dish. They are slow-cooked in butter and white wine to create a creamy and velvety ragu. They can be swapped with onions or shallots in a pinch.
- Parmesan Cheese – Parmesan cheese is a hard Italian cheese with a nutty, salty flavor. It’s used to add richness and depth to the dish. It can be swapped with Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano cheese.
- Chicken Stock – Chicken stock is used to add depth of flavor to the sauce. It can be swapped with vegetable or beef stock for a different flavor profile.
- Tomato Paste – Tomato paste adds depth and tanginess to the dish. It can be swapped with tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes in a pinch.
- Garlic – Garlic adds a pungent and slightly sweet flavor to the dish. It can be swapped with garlic powder or omitted if desired.
- Butter – Butter adds richness and depth of flavor to the dish. It can be swapped with olive oil for a dairy-free version.
- White Wine – White wine is used to deglaze the leeks and create a rich and velvety sauce. It can be swapped with chicken or vegetable stock, or omitted if desired.
- Salt – Salt enhances the flavor of the dish and brings out the natural sweetness of the ingredients.
- Black Pepper – Black pepper adds a subtle spicy kick to the dish. It can be swapped with red pepper flakes for a spicier version.
Utensils:
- Large pot – To cook pasta
- Large skillet – To cook ragu
- Wooden spoon
- Pasta server
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
Mafaldine Pasta
Mafaldine pasta is an elegant Italian pasta shape that’s perfect for special occasions or when you want to elevate your weeknight dinner. It’s a ribbon-shaped pasta that’s narrow on one end and wide on the other with ruffled edges. Mafaldine pasta is named after Princess Mafalda of Savoy who was a daughter of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. She was known for her elegance and grace, and the pasta was named after her because of its undulating shape and delicate appearance. In this recipe, the Mafaldine pasta is the perfect pasta to complement the rich and creamy ragu. It’s shape helps the pasta hold the sauce and the ruffled edges add texture to every bite. While Mafaldine pasta is a little more difficult to find than other pasta shapes, it’s worth seeking out for special occasions or when you just want to treat yourself.
Fennel Sausage
As an Italian, I grew up eating fennel sausage almost every week. Fennel is an herb that’s used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking that has a slightly sweet and anise-like flavor and is said to aid digestion. Fennel seeds are an essential ingredient in Italian sausage and in this recipe, fennel sausage adds a depth of flavor that’s hard to replicate. It also adds another dimension to the dish because of its slightly sweet flavor. Fennel sausage can be swapped with other types of sausage, but I highly recommend seeking out fennel sausage for this recipe to get the full flavor experience. In addition to adding great flavors, fennel is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation. So not only is fennel sausage delicious, but it has some health benefits as well.
What to serve it with?
I love to serve this Mafaldine and Fennel Sausage Recipe with Leek Ragu as the main course of a dinner party. To elevate the experience, I pair the dish with a full-bodied red wine like a Puglian Primitivo or a hearty Chianti. As a side, I recommend a simple green salad with a light lemon and olive oil dressing to cut the richness of the pasta and sausage. The freshness of the salad complements the flavors of the dish, making it all the more enjoyable. If there are vegetarians present, I like to offer a roasted vegetable option, such as balsamic-glazed roasted eggplant or zucchini, as an alternative to the sausage. This way, everyone can enjoy the feast together. I believe that the simple and delicious flavors of this dish are perfect for bringing people together, sharing stories, and creating memories that will last long after the meal has been finished.
Summary
Well, there you have it, my version of Mafaldine and Fennel Sausage Recipe with Leek Ragu! I hope that I’ve inspired you to try this dish for your Father’s Day celebration or any other special occasion. The richness of the fennel sausage and the depth of the leek ragu combine perfectly with the elegant Mafaldine. As you enjoy this meal, let the authenticity of Puglia’s culinary traditions transport you to this beautiful region of Italy.
Do you have any little known tips for making this dish extra special? Have you tried a variation of the recipe that you think could enhance the flavors even further? I’d love to hear from you, so share your thoughts in the comments below. As always, remember that cooking is an art, and every artist has their own interpretation of a recipe. So go ahead and make it your own! I believe that the joy of cooking is in the experimentation, and in discovering new flavors and textures that ignite your senses.
Thank you for reading, and happy cooking!
Here’s the recipe:
Elevate your Father's Day Feast: Delightful Mafaldine and Fennel Sausage Recipe and Leek Ragu
Equipment
- large pot
- Large Skillet
- wooden spoon
- Pasta server
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 pound Mafaldine Pasta
- 1 pound Fennel Sausage
- 3 large Leeks
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 cup Chicken Stock
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 cup White Wine
- To taste Salt
- To taste Black Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Mafaldine pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water, and set aside. - Be sure to salt the water generously before cooking the pasta. The salty water will help flavor the pasta and bring out its natural flavors. Additionally, be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water to use later if the sauce needs thinning. The starchy water will help thicken the sauce and make it silkier.
- Cook the sausage - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel sausage to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and crisp, about 8-10 minutes. - Be sure to use a good quality fennel sausage to get the best flavor possible. When cooking the sausage, try not to over-crowd the skillet, or it may take longer to brown and crisp up. You want to achieve a nice brown color on the sausage for maximum flavor.
- Cook the leek ragu - Add the butter to the same skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the leeks are soft. Add the white wine to the skillet and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until the wine has almost evaporated. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, salt, and black pepper to the skillet and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and let the ragu cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half. - Be sure to clean the leeks thoroughly before cooking. Leeks often have dirt and sand in the layers, so it's important to rinse them well under running water and pat them dry before cooking. When deglazing the skillet with white wine, be sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those bits are full of flavor and will add depth to the sauce.
- Combine the pasta and sauce - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the leek ragu and toss well to coat. Add some reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and toss well to combine. Serve the pasta hot with extra grated Parmesan cheese on top. - When combining the pasta and sauce, be sure to reserve some pasta water to use if the sauce needs thinning. The starchy water will help thicken the sauce and make it silkier. Be sure to toss the pasta and sauce together well to ensure that every strand of pasta is coated in the rich and velvety sauce.
