====== Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Italian Sausage and Fennel ======
  * 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  * 6 med garlic cloves minced (2 Tbsp)
  * 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  * 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp salt
  * 1 lb sweet Italian sausage - removed from casing
  * 1 med fennel bulb - halved, cored and sliced thin
  * 1/2 cup pine nuts - toasted
  * 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves (chop at last minute for good color)
  * 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  * 1 lb whole wheat pasta (Bionaturae Organic 100 percent Whole-Wheat Spaghetti recommended)
  * 1 oz. grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/2 cup)

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  - Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp salt in small bowl; set aside.
  - Heat sausage in 12" nonstick skillet. cook, stirring to break sausage into 1/2" pieces, until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 min. Transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.
  - Add fennel and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fennel is tender, about 5 min.
  - Push fennel to side of skillet and add garlic-oil mixture to center. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir to combine fennel with garlic mixture and cook 1 min. longer
  - Remove skillet from heat and stir in sausage, pine nuts, basil, and lemon juice.
  - Meanwhile, bring 4 quts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 Tbsp salt to boiling water; cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking water, drain past, and return pasta to pot.
  - Add sauce and reserved cooking water to pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with cheese, and serve.

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  Serves: 4-5      Total cook time: 15 min.
  Source: Cook's Illustrated Mar/Apr 2010



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{{tag>food,maincourse }}