Rigatoni with Friarielli, Sausage and Smoked Provola Fondue

Method

1. Clean the friarielli: separate the leaves from the florets.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the florets first for 4-5 minutes, then add the leaves and cook for another 4-5 minutes (total 10 minutes).
3. Transfer the cooked friarielli to an ice bath to stop the cooking and set the color.
4. Blend the friarielli into a smooth cream.
5. Prepare the provola fondue: In a saucepan, heat the milk and cream until hot. Turn off the heat, add the provola pieces, and let them infuse for a few minutes. Remove the provola pieces. Dissolve cornstarch in a little cold milk, then add to the hot milk. Turn the heat back on and stir until thickened.
6. In a pan, brown the sausage until crispy.
7. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.
8. In a pan, add a ladle of friarielli cream and a splash of pasta cooking water. When the pasta is al dente, transfer it to the pan and toss everything together. Add more friarielli cream if needed for a creamy consistency.
9. Plate the pasta, top with provola fondue and crispy sausage.