🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🍝 Gramigna alla Salsiccia
Gramigna alla Salsiccia
Short, curly pasta tubes tossed in a rich, creamy sausage and tomato sauce, a beloved everyday classic from Bologna's home kitchens and neighborhood trattorie alike.
Gramigna, named for its resemblance to a weedy grass, is a shape built specifically to catch onto a chunky, meaty sauce, and its pairing with sausage in a light cream-tomato sauce has made it one of Emilia-Romagna's most reliably comforting weeknight dishes.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot, Large saute pan
- 400 g (14 oz) gramigna pasta (or substitute cavatappi or fusilli)
- 400 g (14 oz) Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
- 1 onion, chopped
- 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) dry white wine
- 200 g (7 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) heavy cream
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Warm the olive oil in a large pan and saute the onion until softened.
- Add the crumbled sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces.
- Add the wine and let it reduce.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
- Stir the cream into the sausage sauce and simmer for a few more minutes until slightly thickened.
- Drain the pasta, reserving some cooking water, and toss into the sauce with a splash of the water.
- Season to taste and serve with grated Parmigiano.
Chef Tips
- Break the sausage into small, even crumbles for the best texture throughout the sauce.
- A short simmer after adding the cream helps the sauce properly thicken and cling to the pasta.
- Gramigna curly shape is specifically designed to catch onto chunky sauces - a similar tubular, curled pasta works well as a substitute.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the cream sauce, which can cause it to separate rather than stay smooth.
- Using bland sausage, which is the primary flavor driver of this simple dish.
- Substituting a very smooth, long pasta shape, which won't hold the chunky sauce as well.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein from the sausage.
Cultural Note
Gramigna alla salsiccia is a beloved everyday classic in Bologna and throughout Emilia-Romagna, a reliable comfort dish found in countless neighborhood trattorie.
Storage & Serving
Storage: The sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop; cook fresh pasta just before serving.
Serve with: A medium-bodied red wine from Emilia