54 and still beautiful

Last week, Mom had to test a kid at Burley, where her friend Leigh Ann works. Mom needed to tell Leigh Ann something, but she wasn't in her room when Mom looked for her. So Mom told another teacher in the room—a striking young blond woman—to tell Leigh Ann that Karen had been by to see her. When Leigh Ann got back, the young teacher told her that someone she had never seen before was looking for Leigh Ann. She couldn't remember Mom's name, so she described her as tall, with thick hair, and "beautiful." Which made Mom's whole day, as you can imagine. Another 2½ years gone by, but you've still got it baby!

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This was the best meal I've made in a while, a restaurant-quality dish that cost less than $15 to make and serves 4 people easily. Mom skipped right past her usual "heavenly" descriptor for my really good meals and instead pronounced it "infuckingcredible." The homemade pappardelle definitely contributed to the quality of the dish, but I'm sure it would still be very good with store-bought pasta.

Homemade Spelt Pappardelle with Quick Sausage Ragù 

Quick Sausage Ragù with Pasta

Adapted from The Best Simple Recipes (2013) by America’s Test Kitchen

Time: 35 minutes

I used mild Italian sausage links from Free Union Grass Farm, which I think was key here. The heritage breed pigs run around free in the woods at the farm, so the sausage is not particularly fatty. If you use a very fatty sausage, the fat will not cook off and the ragù will probably be too greasy. 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium (4–6 ounces) onion, diced
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed (see note)
½ cup dry white wine, preferably Sauvignon Blanc
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1 pound gemelli, ziti, penne, or fusilli, or Homemade Spelt Pappardelle
½ cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan or Grano Padano cheese, more for serving
¼ cup chiffonade of fresh basil, if it's available in your garden
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

    1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a roiling boil in a large stockpot.
    2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucier or sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    3. Add the sausage to the pan and cook until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. While the sausage cooks, break it into small pieces using a wooden spoon (a wooden scraping spoon with a flat edge at the top works especially well if you have one).
    4. Add the wine and cook until it is mostly evaporated, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened some, about 8–10 minutes.
    5. Around when you add the tomatoes to the sauce, add the salt to the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the pasta and stir well for about 30 seconds. Cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of the cooking water.
    6. Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl or back into the stockpot you cooked the pasta in. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Add the Parmesan and basil, if using, and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust the consistency as needed with some of the pasta cooking water. Serve promptly, passing additional Parmesan at the table. Serves 4.