1-First Steps: Prep and Pasta: Start by boiling a large pot of salted water for the pasta. While it heats, prepare your sausage by removing casings and crumbling it, then zest and juice the lemon. Cook 250 grams of Paccheri pasta until very al dente, which means about 1-2 minutes less than the package suggests. Reserve 300 milliliters of pasta water before draining to use in the sauce later.

2-Browning the Sausage: Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the 400 grams of sausage. Brown it thoroughly for deep flavor, stirring occasionally until it’s cooked through. This step, which takes about 4-6 minutes, is key for that savory base in your sausage and lemon pasta.

Next, sauté the 2 shallots and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds in the same pan to build aroma. Add the lemon zest, 1 to 2 teaspoons chili flakes, and 2 cloves garlic, cooking them briefly to release their flavors. At this point, your kitchen will fill with the bright scents of lemon pasta in the making.

3-Creating and Combining the Sauce: Once the base is ready, stir in 60 milliliters of crème fraîche and about 200 milliliters of the reserved pasta water to form a creamy sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the pan along with the remaining pasta water as needed, tossing everything over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Squeeze in juice from the lemon to brighten the dish, and mix in 70 grams of Parmesan for a silky finish.

Adjust the sauce consistency with extra pasta water if it seems too thick, and season to taste. Finally, garnish with 15 grams of parsley for a fresh pop. This sausage pasta comes together in under 30 minutes, with prep time at just 5 minutes and cook time around 20-25 minutes, yielding 3 to 4 servings.