How to make Stanley Tucci's Sausage and Shells pasta for New Year's parties? Recipe and more details explored

Actor Stanley Tucci was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2017 and had to take an arduous journey for his treatment. However, during that period, he was not afraid of death but the fear of losing his taste, as revealed to The New York Times.

For the recipe, Tucci used minced onion, garlic, fennel, fennel seeds, ground Italian sausage, and a homemade tomato (marinara) sauce. He put all the ingredients in a pan and sautéed them. After that, he added the pasta and cheese. He used the large conchiglie pasta for the dish.

If one looks at the actor’s social media platforms, one would find numerous posts outlining exquisite recipes that are unique because they barely follow the logistics of cooking like measurement, time, and the necessity of maximum ingredients.

Tucci's special recipe for pasta lovers is also mentioned in his 2024 book What I Ate in One Year. It must be mentioned that Tucci wrote the book not like any other book but more like a journal. The book details his gastronomical experience spanning over a year with each day as a mirror to the actor’s food memories. The Sausage and Shells pasta was his meal on May 9.

That day, his wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt was not at home in the evening as she was out for work. Stanley Tucci prepared chipolata sausages for his kids in the new air fryer which he called an ‘amazing contraption.’ He complemented their meal with rice and peas.

Interestingly, he mentioned having three helpings of the dish, which he was not proud of. The actor wrote:

“I had three helpings at nine p.m. Not wise but delicious.”

With New Year’s Eve around the corner, this recipe is worth a try to impress your guests.

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Here’s another pasta from Stanley Tucci’s kitchen in case one is not enough

Stanley Tucci might have an abundance of pasta recipes in his mind. As mentioned, the Sausage and Shell pasta requires tomato sauce but if you are not a big fan, this recipe is the one you can make with some fresh tomatoes. The actor shared this recipe with YouTube channel Williams Sonoma on September 16, 2023. At the onset, he said:

“So, I am gonna make a really simple pasta spaghetti with fresh tomato, onion, garlic, basil.”

Like any other pasta recipe, the first step is to boil the pasta for nine to twelve minutes depending on the quantity. In a pan, Stanley Tucci added some olive oil, garlic, and sliced onions and sauteed them. After a while, he put the tomatoes in and added a pinch of salt followed by some basil.

He strained the already-boiled pasta poured them into the pan and then added some pasta water. Tucci tossed the ingredients and poured some olive oil but that’s optional. That's all you need to prepare this dish!

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In an interview with The Guardian, it was mentioned that his daughter Emilia eats only pasta and cheese for dinner. However, this presumably may not be a joyful moment for Stanley Tucci who has a deep love for different delicacies.