Ingredients
- 400 gr. durum wheat flour , or fine semolina flour, plus extra for dusting
- olive oil
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 dried red pepper 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 15 gr. fresh thyme
- 125 gr. large higher-welfare quality spicy sausage
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 125 ml southern Italian white wine
- 400 gr. tin of quality plum tomatoes
- 40 gr. pecorino , or Parmesan cheese
Method
- Pile the flour on to a clean surface and make a well in the middle.
- Gradually add 200 ml of warm water, using a fork to bring the flour in from the outside until it forms a dough.
- Knead on a flour-dusted surface for 10′, or until smooth and elastic.
- Cut the dough into four so you can work with it a quarter at a time.
- Cover the rest with a clean damp tea towel while you work, to stop it drying out.
- Roll your first quarter into a long sausage shape about 1cm in diameter, then cut it into 2 cm chunks.
- Lightly flour the back of a fine grater, gently squash a chunk of dough against it with your thumb and roll it off to create a nubbly,textured shape.
- Place on a semolina-dusted tray and repeat – you’ll get the knack.
- Place a large frying pan on a medium heat with 3 tablespoons of oil.
- Remove the stalks and seeds from the chilli and pepper, tear into flakes and add to the pan.
- Strip in the thyme leaves and fry for 30″, or until crisp, then spoon out and save for later, leaving the pan on the heat.
- Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skin into the pan and mash it up.
- Peel, finely chop and add the onion and garlic, and the paprika, if using,, then fry gently for 15′, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add the wine, cook away, then mash in the tomatoes. Season and simmer for 15′.
- Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water for 4′, or until tender, then drain, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water.
- Toss with the sauce, finely grate over most of the pecorino and toss again, loosening with a splash of reserved cooking water, if needed.
- Sprinkle over the chilli pepper mix and finely grate over the remaining pecorino, to finish.