2 Cheese Pasta With Pancetta & Sausage

Name: 2 Cheese Pasta With Pancetta & Sausage
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 3 cups ricotta cheese, drained through fine strainer 30 minutess; 1 lb ziti pasta or 1 lb similar pasta; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 ounces pancetta, chopped; 1/2 lb sweet bulk Italian sausage or 1/2 lb sausage links, with casing removed; 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic; 4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, about 2 tb (or one-half amount of dried rubbed sage); salt & pepper, to taste; red pepper flakes (optional); 1/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese

⏱ 35 mins 🍽 4 serving(s) 🌶 italian 🏷 Pork

This satisfying Italian pasta dish combines creamy ricotta and sharp Romano cheese with savoury pancetta and sweet Italian sausage. The sauce is flavoured with garlic and fresh sage, creating a deeply flavourful and comforting meal. It's a family favourite that comes together in just 35 minutes, making it perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner. The reserved pasta water helps create a silky, cohesive sauce that clings beautifully to the ziti.

Ingredients

3 cups ricotta cheese, drained through fine strainer 30 minutess
1 lb ziti pasta or 1 lb similar pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
1/2 lb sweet bulk Italian sausage or 1/2 lb sausage links, with casing removed
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, about 2 tb (or one-half amount of dried rubbed sage)
salt & pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese

Method

Cook the pasta following the package instructions until it is al dente.
Place a large sauté pan over heat and add the olive oil, followed by the chopped pancetta and sausage.
Cook the meat until it browns, breaking the sausage into pieces as it cooks, for approximately 4 minutes.
Drain the pan, leaving only 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Beat the drained ricotta cheese until smooth, then stir it into the pan along with the sage, salt, and pepper.
Mix until the cheese incorporates with the sausage mixture, adding red pepper flakes if you wish.
Drain the cooked pasta, making sure to save about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
Transfer the pasta into the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water a little at a time to thin the sauce as needed.
Sprinkle in the freshly grated Romano cheese and toss everything together for about 1 minute.
Take the pan off the heat and serve the pasta immediately.
Feel free to offer extra Romano cheese at the table for sprinkling.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium638000 mg

Recipe details

CategoryPork

Cuisineitalian

AuthorOceanIvy