Ingredients:

  • 12 oz rigatoni pasta
  • 1 lb Italian pork sausage, casings removed
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni until slightly under al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package directions.
  2. While pasta cooks, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it into small chunks, and cook until deeply browned and crisp.
  3. Add the diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 3–5 minutes until translucent.
  4. Lower heat to medium and stir in minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, sautéing for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
  7. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the Parmesan cheese and butter, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and velvety.
  8. Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved starchy pasta water to stabilize the emulsion.
  9. Fold the undercooked pasta and fresh baby spinach into the sauce, cooking over medium heat for 2 minutes until the pasta is finished and spinach is wilted.
  10. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.