Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

• 200 g calamarata pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 Italian sausages, skins removed
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 g canned tomatoes with juice
• 100 ml cream
• 50 g Parmesan cheese, grated
• Black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil, chopped, for stirring and garnish

Method

1. Cook calamarata pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain, reserving some pasta water.
2. Remove sausage meat from skins and break into small pieces or meatballs.
3. Heat a pan with olive oil, add sausage meat, cook until browned, then add diced onion and minced garlic, cook until softened and browned.
4. Add Italian herbs, chili flakes (optional), and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add canned tomatoes with juice, chop if whole, and cook for 6-7 minutes until sauce thickens.
7. Stir in cream, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper; adjust salt if needed.
8. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, stir for 2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick.
9. Stir in fresh basil, turn off heat, and serve topped with more basil and Parmesan.