All photos: Claudia Concas
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil: 120ml/1⁄2 cup
Garlic cloves: 2
Fennel seeds: 2g/1 tsp
Red chilli peppers: 2, whole
Fennel bulb and fronds: 44g/1⁄2 cup, fresh and finely chopped
Mild Italian sausage: 450g/1lb
Vino bianco chicken stock: 120ml/1⁄2 cup
Broccolini: 450g/1lb, blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces
Gnocchetti sardi: 450g/1lb
Pecorino Romano: 227g/8 oz, finely grated
Calabrian chilli flakes: 6g/1 tbsp
S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water: 1l bottle
Fine sea salt
Black pepper: Coarse ground
Recreate one of Stanley Tucci’s original holiday recipes at home, with these easy-to-follow instructions.
Did you miss out on S.Pellegrino’s Taste of Tucci holiday recipe kit? Don’t worry, you can now recreate one of Stanley Tucci’s original holiday recipes at home, with these easy-to-follow instructions.
Learn how to make gnochetti con salsiccia e broccolini, a beautiful one-bowl meal marrying savoury Italian sausage, fennel, broccolini, tangy pecorino Romano and the satisfying chew of al dente gnocchetti, best enjoyed with a chilled bottle of S.Pellegrino.
Get the step-by-step recipe below, for a taste of Tucci and Italy at your table this holiday season.
Method
In a large pasta pot, bring 4-5l/quarts of water to a boil.
Once boiling, add 26g/1.5 tablespoons of salt.
Meanwhile, measure out 36ml/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and heat in a 14-inch sauté pan (or the largest pan you have) over medium heat until shimmering.
Add the garlic cloves (minced), fennel seeds, and pepperoncini (whole).
Stir with a wooden spoon or shake the pan until the spices are fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the fresh fennel bulb and fronds, and pinches of salt and coarse black pepper.
Stir the chopped fennel to coat with the spices. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the fennel is bite-tender.
Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat.
Measure out and heat 36-53ml/2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil until shimmering.
Stir in the mild Italian sausage (salsiccia classica). Cook the sausage until the meat is no longer pink and is just starting to brown, breaking it up as you go.
Return the reserved fennel mixture to the pan.
Stir in vino bianco chicken stock.
Stirring occasionally, allow the stock to reduce for about 3 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly evaporated.
Drain, pat dry and stir in the broccolini. Cook for about 2 more minutes, or until the greens are heated through.
Remove the mixture from the heat, discarding the pepperoncini.
Add the gnocchetti sardi to the boiling salted water, cooking for 6-8 minutes, or until just al dente (slightly firm when bitten).
Do not overcook the pasta, as it will finish cooking in the next steps.
Just before draining the pasta, reserve and set aside 720ml/3 cups of pasta water.
Drain the pasta and toss immediately into the sausage mixture over low heat.
Slowly stir in the pasta water about 120ml/1⁄2 cup at a time, adding only enough to bind the mixture and to create a light sauce.
240-480ml/1-2 cups will likely be enough to accomplish this, though you may need more.
Any unused pasta water can be discarded.
Remove from the heat and fold half of the grated pecorino Romano (approximately 113g/4 oz) into the gnocchetti.
Divide among 4-6 warmed bowls. Finish each serving with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of Calabrian chilli flakes.
Pass the remaining pecorino Romano around the table so guests can help themselves.
Serve alongside the chilled bottle of S.Pellegrino. Buon appetito!
