The Apartment

1 lb De Cecco penne
1 lb hot Italian sausage, loose or removed from casing
28 oz jar Mid’s traditional pasta sauce
1 yellow onion, diced
tomato paste
minced garlic
fennel seeds
heavy cream

1. In a large saucepan, heat up olive oil, then add onion and cook until softened.
2. Add sausage, breaking up and stirring until mostly cooked. Add tomato paste, minced garlic, and fennel seeds; cook for a minute then mix everything together thoroughly.
3. In another pot, cook penne until 1-2 minutes less than al dente directions, reserving the cooking water.
4. Add the pasta sauce to the sausage mixture, stirring occasionally until heated through. Add salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Stir in heavy cream.
5. Stir the penne into the pasta sauce, adding some cooking water as needed until the right consistency and well-coated. Cook another 1-2 minutes in the sauce, tossing frequently.