italian pasta recipes: striped farfalle with peppers and sausage

Mark Gowen
Oct 16, 2025
2 min read

The Halloween palette on a plate - here's an idea for a quick pasta that you can serve to ghosts and ghouls of all ages.

This is from my autumn pasta collection in our Italian Pasta Recipes series. It's from the first Vol of the Pasta & Magic series, Oil Sauces, which you can buy here: https://www.pastaandmagic.com/buypastaandmagic

halloween pasta with sausages and orange peppers

ingredients

FOR FOUR PEOPLE

4-6 pork sausages
1 orange pepper
'nduja

PASTA
400g striped farfalle (Aldi)

what you'll need to do

fry the sausages
fry the peppers
melt the 'nduja
boil the pasta
combine, plate and serve

frying the sausages

Skin the sausages and dry-fry in a non-stick pan. Add a splash of shite wine and allow it to burn off.Let the sausage crisp and colour a little but don't let it burn. When it's done, set it aside.

frying the peppers

Slice the peppers into thin strips and fry gently in some EVO in a non-stick pan until tender. Add a splash of water and allow them to colour a little but not burn.

melting the 'nduja

Obviously, if you're cooking for children or anyone averse to spicy food, maybe consider leaving the 'nduja out of this recipe! If you haven't got any 'nduja, hot smoked paprika or cayenne pepper are alternatives. To make the 'nduja drizzle, gently warm a small amount of ‘nduja in a frying pan and add small amounts of pasta cooking water until it melts.

spooky Halloween pasta recipe idea with peppers and sausages

finishing and combining the sauce and pasta

When the pasta's cooked to your liking, fish it out of the cooking water and add to a tossing pan with the sausage and peppers. Add a small amount of pasta cooking water (maybe as little as hald a ladle) and toss / mix to combine the pasta and other ingredients.

Plate each portion with a drizzle of 'nduja and serve with grated pecorino, smoked scamorza, or parmesan.

what's the best pasta to use for Halloween peppers and sausage pasta?

I’ve used striped farfalle from UK supermarket Aldi, but of course they're only for visual impact - almost any short or long shape could work. CHiller cabinet pappardelle or tagliatelle are great, but so are dry paccheri, corzetti or fusilli.

can I use ready-prepared roasted peppers?

As long as the supermarket-bought jarred peppers are preserved in oil and not vinegar you can use them to cut preparation times - but you'll get the best results, the most flavour, and fewer calories by roasting your own fresh peppers