Rustic Sausage and Pancetta Pasta

Every time we visit wine country near Santa Ynez and Los Olivos, we stop at this charming restaurant for their amazing pasta dish Gigli al Ropeton. Josh, who usually sticks to meat and veggies, makes an exception for this one—it’s that good! It brings back memories of our quick, fun trips to the area, so we had to recreate it at home.

Rustic Sausage and Pancetta Pasta
Servings 6 servings
Author Joshua Snyder
Prep time
20 Min
Cook time
40 Min
Total time
1 Hour

Rustic Sausage and Pancetta Pasta

Every time we visit wine country near Santa Ynez and LosOlivos, we stop at this charming restaurant for their amazing pasta dish Gigli al Ropeton. Josh, who usually sticks to meat and veggies, makes an exception for this one—it’s that good! It brings back memories of our quick, fun trips to the area, so we had to recreate it at home.

Ingredients

Pasta
  • 1 pound Gigli or Campanella pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sausage & Pancetta Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 ounces diced pancetta
  • 1-pound Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • 1/2 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

Notes

If mascarpone cheese is unavailable, you can substitute it with 8 oz of cream cheese for a similar creamy texture and flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

852

Fat (grams)

51 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

19 g

Carbs (grams)

69 g

Fiber (grams)

5 g

Net carbs

64 g

Sugar (grams)

7 g

Protein (grams)

30 g

Sodium (milligrams)

2096 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

97 mg
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Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add the pasta and cook until about 2 minutes before it reaches al dente.

2. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta, rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking process, then toss it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. Return it to the pot, cover, and set aside until ready to use.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

4. Add the pancetta and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy.

5. Remove the pan from heat, transfer the pancetta to a plate using a slotted spoon, and set aside.

6. Return the pan to medium heat and add the sausage and onion.

7. Cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage, until browned, about 5 minutes.

8. Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper, and cook for another minute until fragrant.

9. Mix in the tomato paste, roasted red peppers, and crushed tomatoes, stirring well.

10. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

11. Stir in the mascarpone cheese until fully melted and combined.

12. Remove from heat and add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. 

13. Stir in the fresh basil and reserved pancetta, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

14. Serve hot, garnished with grated Pecorino Romano and fresh basil.