Sausage and saffron sauce

Men, this is good!

Although I really love classic ragù, sometimes I like doing someting original, especially when I buy unusual pasta shapes.

I had some inviting Sardinian gnocchi into the patry (which despite the name have nothing to do with traditional potato gnocchi but are a typical pasta shape), I decided to experiment with a tasty sauce!

And if pasta cries out in a loud voice “Olbia” (strictly pronounced with the “o” closed! That is one of the Sardinian cities) how not to answer with sausage and saffron?

… and it was a love story.

SERVES 4 PEOPLE

READY IN 1h 10′

INGREDIENTS:

1 carrot

½ onion

½ celery stick

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Rosemary to taste

3 pork sausages

¼ glass white wine, dry

1 can of peeled tomatoes passed through a vegetable mill

2 teaspoons vegetable cube (click for the homemade recipe)

2 tablespoons hot water

½ teaspoon saffron powder

STEP 1: CHOP THE VEGETABLES

Finely chop (or if you prefer blend) carrot, onion and celery.

STEP 2: SAUTE’ VEGETABLES AND SAUSAGE

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, then add chopped vegetables and rosemary.

Brown for ab. 2 min., then add chopped sausages, stirring with a wooden spoon.

When meat is toasted, simmer with wine.

STEP 3: ADD TOMATO AND COOK

When wine has completely evaporated, add blender tomatoes and turn the heat to low.

Cook the sauce for 1/2 hour, then add 2 teaspoons of vegetable cube (click here for the homemade recipe) and continue cooking for ½ more hour.

NOTE: During cooking, I recommend that you taste the sauce to check if it is good with salt and also check that it does not dry out too much (if necessary, you can “correct it” by adding a ladle of hot water).

STEP 4: ADD SAFFRON

5 minutes before turning off the heat, dissolve the saffron in a couple of tablespoons of hot water and add it to the sauce.