Chef notes
This was one of those pantry dishes I created at the start of quarantine and now it's just something I like make all the time. This dish is just that good, it will probably become one of your favorite go-to pasta recipes. Do not skimp on the topping! It will be your favorite new thing and it's great sprinkled on a variety of pastas like mac and cheese.
Technique tip: Finish cooking your pasta in the sauce
Swap option: Use linguine if you can't find bucatini
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small garlic cloves, grated on a microplane
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 cup panko
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon chicken base
- 1/2 pound bucatini
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Make the breadcrumb topping:
1.In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
2.Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3.Add the panko and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer immediately to a bowl. Let topping cool completely.
Make the pasta:
4.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini in the boiling water according to the package directions, one minute short of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
5.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, warm the oil.
6.Add the sausage and saute over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, about 8 minutes until crispy.
7.Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving the rendered fat behind.
8.Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium-high heat.
9.Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden for 10 to 12 minutes.
10.Add the artichoke hearts and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, for 1 to 2 minutes.
11.Add the wine and chicken base and cook, stirring constantly, until reduced by two-thirds.
12.Add the sausage, bucatini, pecorino and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Cook, tossing all ingredients together until a velvety sauce is created.
13.Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
14.Serve immediately with a sprinkling of freshly grated pecorino and a generous sprinkling of the crispy topping.
