Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Italian Sausage and Fennel

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 med garlic cloves minced (2 Tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage - removed from casing
• 1 med fennel bulb - halved, cored and sliced thin
• 1/2 cup pine nuts - toasted
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves (chop at last minute for good color)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 lb whole wheat pasta (Bionaturae Organic 100 percent Whole-Wheat Spaghetti recommended)
• 1 oz. grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/2 cup)

1. Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp salt in small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat sausage in 12“ nonstick skillet. cook, stirring to break sausage into 1/2” pieces, until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 min. Transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.
3. Add fennel and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fennel is tender, about 5 min.
4. Push fennel to side of skillet and add garlic-oil mixture to center. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir to combine fennel with garlic mixture and cook 1 min. longer
5. Remove skillet from heat and stir in sausage, pine nuts, basil, and lemon juice.
6. Meanwhile, bring 4 quts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 Tbsp salt to boiling water; cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking water, drain past, and return pasta to pot.
7. Add sauce and reserved cooking water to pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with cheese, and serve.

Serves: 4-5      Total cook time: 15 min.
Source: Cook's Illustrated Mar/Apr 2010