White Wine Sausage Mezze Maniche

Debney
2 days ago
2 min read

This post may contain affiliate links.

This white wine sausage mezze maniche is a straightforward, technique-driven pasta built around a creamy, Italian sausage sauce, deglazed with white wine.

The key to this dish is restraint. The sauce is intentionally tight after the cream is added and only becomes saucy once the pasta and pasta water are introduced. This approach creates a glossy, clingy finish rather than a loose cream sauce.

The sausage is torn into small pieces and cooked hard to develop fond, which is then dissolved with white wine. Shallots and garlic soften in the reduced wine before cream is added to form the base. The pasta finishes directly in the pan, using its own starch to emulsify the sauce.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: SAUSAGE

Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a small drizzle of olive oil.
Add the sausage and cook until well browned, letting it stick to the pan and develop fond before stirring.

STEP 2: DEGLAZE

Add the white wine and scrape up all the fond from the bottom of the pan.
Let the wine simmer until it is almost completely cooked off.

STEP 3: AROMATICS

Lower the heat slightly.
Add the shallot and cook until softened, then add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.

STEP 4: CREAM

Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
At this stage, the sauce will look thick and tight. This is intentional.
Do not thin the sauce yet.

STEP 5: PASTA

Cook the mezze maniche in well-salted water until almost al dente.
Reserve the pasta water.

STEP 6: FINISH

Add the pasta directly to the pan with a splash of pasta water.
Toss continuously until the sauce loosens, emulsifies, and turns glossy.
Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the pasta without pooling.

STEP 7: PARM

Remove from heat and add the Parmigiano Reggiano and plenty of black pepper.
Adjust consistency with pasta water as needed and salt to taste.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 3-4 servings

Italian sausage, 1 lb, casings removed and torn into small pieces
Olive oil
Shallot, 1 large, finely chopped
Garlic cloves, 4, thinly sliced
Dry white wine, 3/4 C (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
Heavy cream, 3/4 C
Mezze maniche pasta, 1 lb dry
Parmigiano Reggiano, 1/2 C (45g), finely grated
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Pasta water, reserved

Affiliate links may be included on this page which help generate a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for your support!