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Sweet Sausage & Smashed Pea Tagliatelle with Ricotta

Sweet Sausage & Smashed Pea Tagliatelle with Ricotta

A Rustic Pasta with Balance

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Intro

Some dinners are born from speed and simplicity, others from a craving for balance. This recipe manages both. Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis’ original pasta, I made a few tweaks to shape it into something uniquely mine.

Building the Flavor

It all begins with a diced onion, slowly sautéed until sweet and mellow. A splash of white wine follows, brightening the base and adding just enough acidity to balance what comes next.

Sweet Italian sausage brings its gentle fennel and savory richness. Smashed peas add freshness and a natural sweetness that play beautifully against the sausage.

Then comes the ricotta, turning the sauce creamy and luxurious. Pecorino Romano steps in with its salty edge, tying the whole dish together.

Why Tagliatelle?

Not all pastas are created equal, and tagliatelle makes this dish shine. We loved the way its broad, ribbon-like strands hold onto the sauce, catching bits of sausage and smashed peas in every fold. The slight thickness gives it a wonderful bite — substantial enough to feel rustic, yet silky enough to twirl easily around your fork. It’s the perfect backdrop for flavors that balance creamy, salty, and sweet.

Creamy, Salty, and Sweet

Every forkful finds its rhythm between creamy, salty, and sweet — the kind of harmony that makes a simple bowl of pasta feel like it came straight from a rustic Italian kitchen. Quick enough for a weeknight, comforting enough for guests.

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Sweet Sausage & Smashed Pea Tagliatelle with Ricotta — Recipe (Text)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb fresh or dried tagliatelle
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
• 1 lb frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tagliatelle until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large high-sided skillet/Dutch oven. Sauté onion over medium-high heat until soft.
3. Add garlic and dried basil; cook 2–3 minutes. Add wine; simmer until mostly reduced.
4. Add sausage; break into bite-size pieces and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
5. Add peas to the pan; smash lightly with the spoon (or a potato masher).
6. Turn off heat. Add ricotta and cooked pasta; toss, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until glossy.
7. Return sausage to the pan; add Pecorino, salt, and pepper. Toss gently and serve immediately.

Approx. nutrition (per serving): 615 cal • 37 g fat (14 g sat) • 42 g carbs • 6 g fiber • 6 g sugar • 27 g protein • 683 mg sodium • 115 mg cholesterol