Bucatini with Sausage/Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding with raspberries

Bucatini with Sausage

Ingredients

3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, preferably without fennel seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup whole pickled peperoncini, drained, preferably Tuscan-style
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
3 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 pound bucatini (or another long pasta)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese, plus more for passing
Procedure

1. Slit the casings of the sausages lengthwise and turn the meat out into a bowl. Break it up into small pieces with your hands, then add the wine and toss until the meat is moistened. Remove the stems and seeds of the peppers, then slice into 1/4-inch rings, crosswise.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic slices and cook until golden, then add the sausage mixture. Spread it out, breaking up any clumps, and cook until the moisture has mostly evaporated. When the sausage begins to render and sizzle, add the pepperoncini and cook for an additional minute or two.

3. Pour in the tomatoes plus 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until the liquid dramatically reduces by half, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. It should be a thick enough consistency to cling well to the pasta.

4. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salty water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente. When it it done cooking, drain and add it to the skillet, reserving some pasta cooking water. Toss the pasta and sauce together for another minute, adding pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Turn off the heat and transfer to bowls. Top with Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 9 ounces (2 cups) chopped bittersweet chocolate (not chocolate chips)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl until blended.
2. Combine milk and 1 cup cream in medium saucepan, and cook over medium heat until hot. Gradually pour hot milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant spatula, for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats the spatula or until candy thermometer reads 180°.
3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add chocolate, and let stand 10 seconds; whisk until smooth. Transfer chocolate cream to a clean bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours.
4. Combine remaining 1/2 cup cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. (Do not overbeat.) Dollop onto each serving of pudding.

*Serving suggestion: Divide half the whipped cream evenly among six wineglasses. Spoon about 2/3 cup chocolate pudding over the cream in each glass, and top with remaining whipped cream.