Spaghetti Sardinian style

Ingredients:

• 350 g spaghetti
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 0.7 kg sweet Italian sausage with fennel, cut into 2.5 cm pieces.
• 2 x 800g cans of peeled tomatoes in their own juice (cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds; set aside 0.5 cup of juice)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.5 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 0.5 tsp saffron threads
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1.5 cups torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup grated pecorino cheese

Preparation:

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Move the sausages to the sides of the skillet and increase the heat to high. Add the tomatoes, stirring to break them up slightly, and cook until the edges are browned and the oil turns red, about 6 minutes. Combine the sausages and tomatoes.
2. Add the garlic, bay leaf, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes to the pan, then sprinkle with saffron. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the parsley, 1 cup of basil, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the water. Add the spaghetti, along with the water and reserved tomato juice, to the sausage sauce and toss for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with pecorino cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup of basil.