Chef notes
Sweet and floral pears sing when sautéed along with sausage, sage, and garlic. Be sure to use slightly underripe fruit so that it retains some shape and texture when sautéed. The panko topping isn’t essential, but it adds lovely crunch to the finished dish.
Technique Tip: Be sure to choose slightly underripe fruit.
Ingredients
- kosher salt, to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound mild sausage meat
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 red pears, cored and diced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 12 ounces paccheri, rigatoni or other large tubular pasta
- 1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
Preparation
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2.In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the panko and cook until toasty, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3.Melt the remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook for about 8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until cooked through and golden brown. Add the garlic and remaining sage and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the diced pears and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4.Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.
5.Add the cooked pasta and pecorino to the sausage mixture. Toss to combine, adding a little bit of pasta water as necessary to create a light sauce that coats the noodles. To serve, top with the breadcrumbs and more cheese.
