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Nancy Olah

Linguine with Sausage Ragu - an Easy Vegan Sunday Gravy that even a Carnivore will love!

My directions contemplate using the Cuisinart Cook Central 4-function slow cooker, so that you can sauté and slow cook all in the same pan. If you don't have a sauté function on the slow cooker, do the first step in a large skillet, and then transfer the contents to the slow cooker and proceed from step 2.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 5 to 6 people
Course: Slow Cooker Meals
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium organic onion finely chopped
  • 1 medium fennel bulb cored and coarsely chopped
  • 2 stalks organic celery halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves organic garlic pressed
  • 1 tablespoon organic fennel seeds
  • 1 28- ounce can organic diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • Several sprigs of fresh organic oregano
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tofurky Spinach Basil sausages
  • 1 Tofurky Italian sausage
  • 1 pound organic linguine
  • 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil optional
  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano optional

Method
 

  1. Turn on the slow cooker and use the sauté function, setting the temperature at 275 degrees. Sauté the onion for about 6 minutes, and then add the fennel and celery. Sauté another 3-4 minutes before adding the fennel seeds and garlic.
  2. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, bay leaf, and oregano and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
  3. Put your pot of water on to boil for your linguine, and add about 2 tablespoons of salt once you are at a rolling boil. Add the linguine and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick.
  4. Taste your sauce, and add a bit of salt and pepper.
  5. Cut each of the sausages in 5-6 pieces and then buzz in the food processor, until you have coarse pieces. Add the sausage pieces to the sauce and cook on low while the linguine is cooking.
  6. Before draining the linguine, reserve a cup of starchy pasta water.
  7. Drain the linguine and add it to the sauce, along with about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and toss to combine (adding a little more pasta water only if necessary to get a good consistency and perhaps a teaspoon or two of extra virgin olive oil.)
  8. Serve with optional Parmigiano-Reggiano.