Fennel sausage pasta

Toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, then set aside. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook rigatoni until al dente, reserving 100ml of pasta water before draining. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely sliced shallot and minced garlic, cooking for 2 minutes until softened. Remove sausage meat from casings and add to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce by half, then add thinly sliced courgette ribbons and cook for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Pour in the double cream and half the toasted fennel seeds, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce, tossing well and loosening with reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy, coating sauce. Remove from heat, stir in grated parmesan, season generously with black pepper, and serve topped with remaining toasted fennel seeds. Tip: Crush half the toasted fennel seeds lightly in a pestle and mortar before adding to the sauce — this releases more of their anise oils into the cream for a more pronounced, fragrant flavour without the seeds being too crunchy.