Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces Whole Wheat Linguine
  • 1 pound Hot Italian Sausage, casings removed
  • 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Sage Leaves
  • 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup Dry White Wine (optional)
  • 1 cup Reserved Pasta Water
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the whole wheat linguine according to package directions, subtracting 2 minutes from the minimum cooking time (it should be very al dente). Crucially, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.
  2. While pasta cooks, heat EVOO in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage (casings removed) and break it up with a spoon. Cook until deeply browned and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the sausage. Sauté for 60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
  4. If using wine, pour it in and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half (about 1 minute).
  5. Push the sausage mixture to one side of the pan. Add the 6 tablespoons of butter to the empty side. Allow it to melt, foam, and then subside, swirling gently until golden brown specks form and it smells nutty. Add the whole sage leaves and crisp them up quickly (about 30 seconds).
  6. Add the al dente pasta directly into the skillet with the sausage. Ladle in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously. Add the lemon juice and grated Pecorino Romano.
  7. Continue tossing, adding splashes of pasta water as needed, until the sauce coats the linguine beautifully—it should look creamy, not watery. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper).
  8. Divide immediately into warmed bowls. Drizzle any remaining browned butter from the pan over the top and finish with a generous grating of extra Pecorino.