Pasta alla Montecarlo

Ingredients

• 1 Onion
• 1 Carrot
• 4 Italian Sausages ((about 250g/1/2 lb))
• 1/2 lb (250g) ground beef or veal
• 1 and 1/4 cup heavy cream (double cream UK) ((300ml))
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup (120ml) white wine
• 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• Parmigiano Reggiano (for serving)
• 1 lb (450g) rigatoni pasta ((or pasta of choice))
• salt and pepper

Steps

1. 1

   Although you can use store-bought basil pesto, I recommend making your own. Follow our basil pesto recipe, then keep leftovers in the fridge for other uses such as sandwiches and salads.

2. 2

   Finely chop the carrot and onion.

3. 3

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.

4. 4

   Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and gently sauté the vegetables for around 7-8 minutes until soft but not browned.

5. 5

   Next turn up the heat and add the sausages removed from their casings and the ground beef. Saute the meat until browned, if there’s a lot of excess moisture, keep cooking until most of it has evaporated.

6. 6

   Add the white wine and let it reduce by half or until you can no longer smell a strong alcohol smell.

7. 7

   Stir in the tomato paste, then add the cream with a small pinch of salt and pepper and simmer gently on a medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes.

8. 8

   10 minutes before the end, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

9. 9

   Turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of pesto along side the cooked al dente pasta. Toss until the pasta is full coated.

10. 10

    Finally add a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano and serve.