Spring Fiddlehead Sausage Penne

Fiddlehead Sausage Penne is an easy and delicious way to add local, seasonal ingredients to a humble, ever-popular pasta dish. Fiddleheads are usually available from late April to early June, when you can forage for wild ones or purchase them at farmers' markets. It is a unique springtime delicacy worth trying. Sausage penne is a simple fiddlehead fern recipe that your whole family will love and takes just minutes to make.

Fiddleheads are the very young shoots of the Ostrich Fern (although other varieties are also sometimes harvested).

If you've never cooked fiddleheads before, it's good to know how to properly cook and clean them first before making any fiddlehead recipes, such as this fiddlehead sausage penne. After all, they grow wild in wet places, where they may collect bugs and bacteria, and we do not need any food poisoning problems.

Also, since fiddlehead season usually only lasts two to three weeks, we have a handy guide on freezing fiddleheads.

With the precautions out of the way, let's see how you can enjoy this unique wild springtime delicacy in a simple fiddlehead sausage penne pasta.

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A Simple Spring-Inspired Fiddlehead Sausage Penne

This simple fiddlehead sausage penne pasta recipe can be quickly cooked up for a flavorful lunch or dinner.

Before you start, you'll need:

• 2 cooked Italian sausages - sliced
• 1 small Spanish onion - julienned
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup fresh or frozen fiddleheads - cooked
• 2 cups cooked penne pasta

Cook The Fiddleheads & Penne Pasta First

Start by cooking the fiddleheads and pasta.

Simmer the fiddleheads in a pot of water for 5 minutes, then strain them and set aside. Discard the cooking water as it is very bitter and not palatable.

While the fiddleheads are cooking, bring another pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to the instructions.

Sauté The Sausage With the Remaining Ingredients

Sauté the Italian sausage, julienned onion, and chopped garlic in a pan with some butter. Keep all the ingredients moving, shaking the pan or stirring, to prevent them from burning as the sausage browns.

Once the onion starts to turn translucent, add the cooked fiddleheads to the pan. You might need to add a little more butter to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

Combine with pasta for Fiddlehead Sausage Penne

Once the pasta is finished cooking, toss the penne pasta in the pan with the sautéed fiddleheads, sausage, and onion. Season the whole pan with salt and freshly cracked pepper.

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