black pudding-ish pasta

a friend recommended the black pudding and apple sausages which waitrose sell on their deli counters. i picked up four earlier in the week and adapted the jamie oliver bloke’s pasta recipe to create a super-delish supper.

the sausages don’t have a high black pudding content but you can definitely taste its presence. i didn’t notice the apple. i added cavolo nero and cherry tomatoes for extra vegetable oomph. i also added a glug of cream as the chilli i used was hotter than i expected, which added an extra layer of richness which balanced really well with the freshness of the lemon and parsley.

i'm sharing this dish with mrs ergul who is hosting this week's presto pasta nights - hope you like it!

tortiglioni with black pudding sausages (serves 2)

a couple of handfuls of cavolo nero leaves, shredded

pasta for 2, i used tortiglioni

1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds

olive oil

4 black pudding and apple sausages

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 heaped teaspoon of dried oregano

10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved

100ml white wine

zest and juice of 1 lemon

500g good-quality fusilli (i used)

a handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

a tablespoon of chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

put the water for your pasta on and, when it is boiling, cook the cavolo nero for a few minutes. remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. reheat the water and add your pasta.

meanwhile, crush the fennel seeds mortar and pestle then put to one side. heat a splash of olive oil and squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins into the pan, breaking it up using the back of a spoon. fry for a few minutes, over quite a high heat, until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly then add the fennel seeds, chilli and garlic. cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the edges of the sausage become crisp and golden.

stir in the oregano and cherry tomatoes, then add the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. add the lemon zest and juice, cover with a lid and let it simmer over a low heat. when your pasta is ready add a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water to your sausages, along with the pasta. stir in the parmesan and chopped parsley. season to taste and serve.