VEGAN SAUSAGE WITH FENNEL AND SAGE PAPPARDELLE - WITH MIELE STEAM OVEN

A hearty winter dish that will feed the entire family. The combination of fennel and sage gives this dish the most fragrant mix of earthy yet sweet notes. It works brilliantly as a vegan dish too, packed full of flavour with a very similar texture to that of meat and is often a welcome change to classic spaghetti I frequently make! 

FEEDS – 4 | PREPARATION TIME – 5-10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME – 20-30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:
FENNEL, SAUSAGE AND SAGE –
Several generous glugs of olive oil

1 white onion  – finely diced

2 large cloves of garlic  – peeled, roughly grated

2 packs/400g of smoked tofu with sesame and almonds (Taifun is a great brand but any hard tofu will work)– blitzed or roughly chopped to a rough crumb

1 heaped tbsp fennel seeds

2 sprigs of sage, leaves pickled and roughly chopped

3 sprigs of rosemary

3/4 pint of vegetable

sprinkle of sea salt flakes

generous sprinkle of white pepper

1 tbsp of freshly ground black pepper

Garnish  –

40g Pecorino or vegan alternative (optional) – finely grated 

3 sprigs of sage- leaves picked

½ lemon plus zest

INSTRUCTIONS -

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius. 

Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan then add in the diced white onion. Cook over a medium to low heat until soft and translucent for around 6-7 minutes then remove from the pan and set to one side. Place your pan back on the hob and increase the heat. Add a good glug of oil and once hot add in the blitzed tofu and allow to turn crisp and golden. Next add in the garlic, fennel seeds, a sprinkle of sea salt flakes, pepper and the fresh herbs fry for a further 2-3 minute then pour in the stock and place in the oven and allow to cook for a further 10-15 minutes, for the flavours to infuse.

For the crispy sage leaves, place several generous glugs of olive oil in a small frying pan over a high heat. Once hot (test with one leaf first, it needs to fizz immediately) fry up the sage leaves in batches until darkened and crisp. Drain on paper towel. 

For the pasta I love to use the steam function of the oven. Place the dry pasta in a pan and cover with boiling water ensuring that the pasta is well covered then transfer to the oven and steamcook for 16-18 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Remove the pasta by transferring using tongs, placing the pasta straight into the tofu along with a splash of the pasta water and thoroughly combine. Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Serve with a generous helping of crispy sage, a god squeeze of lemon plus zest and some finely grated Pecorino or vegan alternative. 

Tip  – If reheating pasta the steam function is a brilliant option, add the 80% humidity and reheat for 2-3 minutes without drying out your meal.