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.
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.
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.
Process Overview
Step 1
Cook Pasta as per cooking instructions in boiling salt water.
Strain when done.
Step 2
If the Sausage is in a casing, to take it out and break it into smaller pieces.
Step 3
Sauté onions in olive oil.
Stir in Sausage.
Step 4
Season with paprika and black pepper, mix it all well.
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.
Step 6
Take from the heat, toss the cooked rigatoni into the sauce and top with Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Serve hot.
📖 Recipe
Prisoner's Pasta (Pasta alla Carcerata) Recipe
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
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
Equipment
- Medium Pot (5 qt)
- Bowl to place the sausage while removing the casing (if it has a casing)
- Large Skillet
Nutrition
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.
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