Have I already said that I love this book??? And I love this recipe too. I have made it twice before so I know strictly speaking I shouldn't blog about it but it is so, sooooo yummy! In fact I get the spicy sausages as a birthday present as they are quite expensive from the Italian deli. After all what do you get the woman who has everything? Spicy Italian sausages!!! Of course I don't have everything but when you get to be a "woman of a certain age", I already have all the perfume / undies / scented candles / bath foam that I need. Of course a few more diamonds would be well received but in the absence of that, I am very content with Spicy Italian sausages.
I decided to make Spicy Sausage Ragu for a dinner party for two very special friends. I made food that could be prepared in advance and one course that didn't need cooking. This means that I was relaxed when the guests arrive and reduced time in the kitchen (and also drink loads). I know pasta is possibly a boring choice for a dinner party but it was made with my special sausages and good quality pasta. Am I forgiven?
The menu was:
Appetizer - glasses of Prosecco (for the grown ups obviously) with olives and Spanish banderas(?)
Starter - Carpaccio of Beef
Main course - Spicy Sausage Ragu
Desert: Italian Lemon Tart
Cheese - Taleggio, Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses with crackers
I made carpaccio of beef again (see blog from 5th April 2011). This simple but tasty dish can be made in advance and left in the fridge (adding garnish of rocket and watercress, and the dressing when serving). I made the ragu in advance and didn't add the cream until I re-heated it. I also made an Italian Lemon Tart (well I made the filling as the pastry case was shop-bought... this isn't "Come Dine With Me - luckily)!!
Onto the main recipe. This recipe calls for Italian sausages and add chili flakes. As the sausages are already spicy, I didn't add chili flakes but left a shaker on the table if anyone wanted any. Also I did add chili flakes once and it was too spicy for some as cooking with chili makes the dish so much hotter than sprinkling chili flakes on when the dish is served.
I am lucky as I have a stash of home grown fennel seeds so this recipe gives me an excuse to use them. My other half is not keen on the aniseed taste so I stuck faithfully to the recipe and didn't add more than described. Which is probably about right actually, even though I do love aniseed flavour.
The recipe states 150ml of double cream to be added. It does need some cream and previously I have added less (as I thought it looked too much - I have always added a bit and tasted first). This time I stuck to the recipe and thought it was too creamy (and I love creamy sauces). So I would stick to my previous suggestion which is add a bit at a time until you have enough for your own taste. I do not think this affects the overall result of the finished dish because it really is good.
As my daughter insisted on joining us, I also made an unspicy ragu (using sausage meat from the butchers) and served both ragus. No disparaging remarks made about serving pasta at a dinner party.
Admittedly I overcooked the lemon tart which I made earlier (i.e. before I had a drink so no excuse). But serving it with cream and with the wine flowing, I don't think anyone noticed (or were too polite to say ). This time we actually managed to eat from the cheeseboard but I did forget to serve desert wine with the lemon tart!
The lack of photographs is because:
- wasn't sure if I should include the recipe in the blog
- I drank too much (I mean I got caught up in the moment)!!!
Next blog will be a simple evening meal.
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