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    You are Here: Masala Herb » Recipes » Noodles and Pasta

    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata)

    Jan 18, 2025 by Helene Dsouza

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    • Bluesky
    Helene Dsouza
    A flavor packed rigatoni pasta dish from Rome. The sauce contains Italian pork sausage, tomato, cream, and brandy.
    Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes
    3 servings
    RECIPE
    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata)
    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata) pin picture

    The prisoner's pasta is a Roman dish with a creamy tomato sausage brandy sauce.

    This is our latest comfort meal, and you can prepare it in a skillet at the last minute, making it a perfect weeknight dinner meal.

    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata) cover image
    Jump to:
    • TL;DR
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Process Overview
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Serving & Storing
    • More like this
    • 💬 Comments

    TL;DR

    When in Rome, look out for a Pasta alla Carcerata, which literally translates to Prisoners pasta.

    If you would rather not wait that long, consider making this traditional Italian pasta dinner tonight.

    Cooked rigatoni pasta is tossed in a creamy tomato brandy sauce with seasoned Italian pork sausage.

    Just as in the Penne alla Vodka sauce, the brandy helps in binding the sauce. The result is a silky smooth pasta sauce, which looks beautiful on your noodles.

    Italian Prisoner's Pasta

    Ingredient Notes

    • Rigatoni — or another similar tubular pasta variety such as Tortiglioni, Penne, Mezzi Rigatoni (that's what I used).
    • Salt + Water — to boil pasta.
    • Italian Sausage — aka Salsiccia in Italian, fresh raw sausage, with or without fennel or chili pepper.
    • Olive Oil
    • Onion — sliced or diced.
    • Sweet Paprika or Cayenne Pepper — adds color and flavor. I prefer paprika, but if you want to add heat, use cayenne pepper.
    • Salt & Black Pepper
    • Brandy
    • Tomato Sauce or Crushed Tomatoes — unflavored.
    • Cream — heavy cream, table cream, or crème fraîche (that's what I use).
    • Parmesan — Shaved or grated. Try getting Parmigiano Reggiano for a flavor level up.
    • Parsley — fresh, to top.
    ingredients to make Pasta alla Carcerata

    Process Overview

    Step 1

    Cook Pasta as per cooking instructions in boiling salt water.

    Strain when done.

    place rigatoni into boiling salt water
    boil rigatoni as per package instructions

    Step 2

    If the Sausage is in a casing, to take it out and break it into smaller pieces.

    take Italian sausage from the casing
    break sausage into smaller chunks

    Step 3

    Sauté onions in olive oil.

    Stir in Sausage.

    sauté onion in oil
    stir in sausage

    Step 4

    Season with paprika and black pepper, mix it all well.

    season with paprika or cayenne and black pepper
    Mix and cook

    Step 5

    Deglaze with brandy, pour in tomato sauce and cream.

    Mix it all well, cook the sauce for a few minutes and add salt to taste.

    deglaze with brandy
    pour in tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes and cream
    season with salt

    Step 6

    Take from the heat, toss the cooked rigatoni into the sauce and top with Parmesan and chopped parsley.

    Serve hot.

    toss cooked pasta into meat tomato sauce
    top prisoner pasta with parsley and parmesan
    Pasta alla Carcerata

    📖 Recipe

    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata)

    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata) Recipe

    A flavor packed rigatoni pasta dish from Rome. The sauce contains Italian pork sausage, tomato, cream, and brandy.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
    Servings: 3 servings
    Calories: 776kcal
    Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

    Ingredients

    To Boil Pasta

    • 3 cups Rigatoni
    • Dash Salt
    • Water

    For the Meat Sauce

    • ¾ Pound Italian Sausage
    • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Medium Onion sliced or diced
    • ½ Tablespoons Paprika sweet, or Cayenne pepper for heat
    • ⅛ Teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ⅓ Cup Brandy
    • 1½ Cup Tomato Sauce or Crushed Tomatoes, unflavored
    • ½ Cup Heavy Cream or Table Cream
    • Salt to taste
    • Parmesan shaved or grated
    • Parsley Fresh Italian parsley preferred
    US - Metric

    Instructions

    • Cook pasta as per package instructions in boiling salt water. Strain when done cooking and keep aside.
      3 cups Rigatoni, Dash Salt, Water
    • While the pasta is boiling, prepare the meat sauce. If the sausage is in a casing, take it out from the casing and break it into smaller chunks with your fingers.
      ¾ Pound Italian Sausage
    • Heat up a skillet with olive oil and sauté sliced/diced onion over a medium heat setting until a bit soft.
      1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Medium Onion
    • Stir in sausage pieces and season with paprika, or cayenne, and black pepper.
      ¾ Pound Italian Sausage, ½ Tablespoons Paprika, ⅛ Teaspoon Black Pepper
    • Combine and cook for a minute or two.
    • Reduce the heat if it's too intense, and deglaze with the brandy.
      ⅓ Cup Brandy
    • Keep on adding the tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes, and cream. Mix the contents of your sauce and increase the heat to medium heat setting if needed.
      1½ Cup Tomato Sauce, ½ Cup Heavy Cream
    • Season with salt to taste and let it simmer for another 3-5 minutes at least so that the flavors of your sauce get to develop and take on shape.
      Salt
    • Take the sauce from the heat. Toss the cooked pasta in the tomato meat sauce so that the pasta is fully covered in sauce.
    • Top with freshly cut or chopped parsley and shaved or grated parmesan to serve hot.
      Parmesan, Parsley Fresh

    Notes

    Makes about 2–3 servings, depending on the serving size.
    Prep time is about 5 minutes, but 10 minutes if you have to remove the sausage casing.
    Prepare the sauce in a pan while the pasta is cooking to save time. That's about 10 minutes for the paste and 12 minutes to prep the sauce. 
    7 ounces Pasta = 3 cups = 200 grams

    Equipment

    • Medium Pot (5 qt)
    • Bowl to place the sausage while removing the casing (if it has a casing)
    • Large Skillet
    • Wood or Bamboo Spatula

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata) Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 776 Calories from Fat 405
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 45g69%
    Saturated Fat 19g95%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
    Monounsaturated Fat 18g
    Cholesterol 103mg34%
    Sodium 1177mg49%
    Potassium 810mg23%
    Carbohydrates 57g19%
    Fiber 5g20%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 22g44%
    Vitamin A 1702IU34%
    Vitamin C 13mg16%
    Calcium 101mg10%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    pasta with Italian sausage
    Prisoner's Pasta

    Serving & Storing

    This dish is great on its own and doesn't require any sides, but you might enjoy a small portion of a tangy side salad with this pasta dish.

    You can meal prep this dish for the week and store in rectangular glass containers cooled in the refrigerator or frozen.

    Just don't top the pasta with the parsley or Parmesan, keep that for when you are ready to enjoy your pasta.

    To thaw and heat, place in the oven or microwave to gradually reheat.

    More like this

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    • Bolognese Sauce
    Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata) pin picture
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    I am Helene, and I created Masala Herb in 2011. Here you will learn to cook with spices and herbs. I share from scratch, international food recipes and my mission is to teach you to cook flavorful food at home. Read More…

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    Welcome

    Hi there! I'm Helene and here you will learn how to cook with spices and herbs. Discover global food and learn to season your food like a pro. Read more about my work and mission or head over to my food ingredient space, Unknownbite.com, and our travel space, Paulmarina.com!

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