Sausage and Pea Pasta

Method

1. 1Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously — it should taste like mild sea water. Cook the rigatoni 1–2 minutes less than the package instructions (you'll finish it in the sauce). Reserve 150 ml of pasta water before draining.
2. 2While the water heats, warm the olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and press it into a single layer. Let it sit untouched for 2 minutes to develop a proper crust, then break into rough pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until deeply browned, another 3–4 minutes. The browning matters — pale sausage means a pale sauce.
3. 3Push the sausage to one side. Add the onion to the empty part of the pan and cook 3–4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and chili flakes, cook 1 minute. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes, stirring — this caramelizes the paste and removes the raw tomato taste.
4. 4Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and simmer on medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the cream and peas. Simmer 2 more minutes until the peas are just cooked through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
5. 5Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce. Toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats every piece of pasta and looks glossy, not dry. The starch from the pasta water binds the sauce and gives it that restaurant texture.
6. 6Remove from heat. Add the parmesan and toss quickly. Serve immediately in warm bowls with more parmesan and fresh basil. The pasta waits for no one — it thickens as it sits.