Spaghetti alla Luganica
By Mario Batali (from Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy)

Ingredients
• 1 pound SPAGHETTI
• 2 tablespoons SALT
• 1 pound SWEET LUGANICA SAUSAGE, removed from casings (Try to find luganica, because its rich   flavor is hard to duplicate; if you can’t find luganica, ask your butcher for another strongly flavored sweet   sausage, preferably without fennel seeds.)
• ½ cup EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
• 4 GARLIC CLOVES, halved
• 4 dried CHILIES, whole, such as corno di bue
•1 bunch ITALIAN PARSLEY, roughly chopped to yield ¼ cup loosely packed
• ½ cup toasted BREAD CRUMBS
Serves 4
Procedure
1. Place 6 quarts of water in a spaghetti pot, add 2 tablespoons salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Crumble the sausage roughly and place it in a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan with the olive oil, garlic, and chilis over medium heat. Cook until the sausage is fully cooked and has exuded most of the fat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain all but 4 tablespoons of the fat and set aside.

3. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions and set aside ½ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and toss into the pan with the sausage mixture and reserved cooking water. Place pan over high heat, add the parsley and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among 4 plates, each with its own chili pepper, sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs, and serve immediately.

Wine recommendation:
Aglianico del Vulture.

IWM Recommendation:

This recipe is printed with the expressed permission of Mario Batali and Clarkson Potter Publishers. No part of this recipe may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.