Step 2

Add the onion and the chopped fennel to the hot pan and fry for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and caramelized. Add a splash more oil if the pan dries out.

Step 3

Stir in the smoked paprika, the sliced garlic and half the fennel seeds and fry for 2 minutes more.

Step 4

Pour the red wine in and boil it hard for 30 seconds, until it has reduced by half.

Step 5

Add the tomatoes, the sugar, 3/8 cup of water, the browned sausage and ½ tsp of salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, taking the lid off after the first 10 so the sauce thickens and turns rich.

Step 6

While the sauce simmers, make the pesto: blend the pecorino, the anchovy, the crushed garlic, the olive oil and 1 tbsp of water to a rough paste.

Step 7

Add the basil and pulse only until it is just combined. Over-blended basil goes bitter and loses its color.

Step 8

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni for 12–14 minutes to al dente. Drain it, return it to the pot and stir 1 tbsp of olive oil through.

Step 9

Take the sauce off the heat and stir the halved olives and the rest of the fennel seeds through. Adding the second half of the seeds now keeps their perfume, which 30 minutes of simmering would have cooked away.

Step 10

Divide the pasta between bowls and spoon the ragù over. Top each with a spoonful of pesto and the reserved fennel fronds, and serve at once.