Bavarian Herb Rye Fusilli with Beer Cheese Sauce and Polidori Bratwurst
Ingredients:
1 lb. Pappardelle’s Bavarian Herb Rye Fusilli
1 lb. Polidori Bratwurst Sausage
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 + 2 tbsp. butter
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup pretzels
1/2 cup beer (lager or ale)
1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley, as garnish
Instructions:
- Begin by heating a pan with the olive oil, and then add the Polidori Bratwurst, and cook through.
- Once the bratwurst have cooked and cooled, slice on a bias and set aside.
- To prepare the pasta, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta to water, return water to a gentle boil and cook for 10-12 minutes or until al dente, stirring intermittently.
- While the pasta cooks, start the sauce. Start by melting 1/4 cup of butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook until it just starts to turn golden, and has a nutty smell.
- Add the 3 cups of milk and the 1/2 cup of beer and whisk until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Then add the 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Continue to whisk until all the cheese is melted. Then add in the Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
- To make the pretzel crumble, either grind or crush 1 cup of pretzels until they are mostly small pieces. Melt the 2 tbsp of butter in a sauté pan, and then add the crushed pretzels, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until toasted and a rich brown color.
- Serve the pasta with the sauce, bratwurst, pretzel crumble, and garnish with chopped parsley and paprika.