Newfenririan Delight is a real hearty meal (no pun intended) from Quebecoiswolf’s WEREWOLVES VERSUS: SPACE story “Lying on the Slab”. You can read an apocryphal (and deliberately antagonistic) in-story description of where this sausage-based pasta dish came from here, or just make it yourself with this recipe.

Newfenririan Delight

The origins of Newfenririan Delight remain one of the great mysteries of Newfenrir’s rich culinary history.  Some say that the dish developed in Iron City to feed transhuman factory workers.  Others say that it came from southeastern Delacroix, inspired by Old Earth marinara sauces.  Another possibility is that it was developed in the restaurants of Downtown Armistice as a filling, inexpensive lunch favorite of stockbrokers and bureaucrats.  What is known, however, is where the dish got its name.  When Newfenrir Cruise Lines deployed its first werewolves, they were bored by the regular crew diet of rice and beans and their transhuman bodies craving iron-rich protein.  Mess hall chefs turned to the passenger dining rooms for extra meat.   Thanks to a bumper year for the South Delacroix hog farms, high quality sausage had been exceptionally cheap.  Thus, though experiments and economic expediency, a culinary classic was born.  Within a year, more sophisticated renditions of the dish had spread throughout the NFCL fleet as a favorite of passengers and crews alike.

This particular version of Newfenririan Delight is a classic based on the recipe served in the NFS Valerie’s Dining Room for nearly twenty years.

Cooking and Preparation Time: Approximately 60-75 minutes.

Number of Servings: Varies
Human: 6-8
Fenririan: 2-4
Werewolf, Most General Service Models: 3-4
Werewolf, Porter and Armsman Models: 2-4
Werewolf, Most Variants Equipped with Security Suite: 2
Werewolf, Special Tactical Security Model: 1

Ingredients

• 1 pound of orzo pasta (can be substituted with rice if gluten is a problem)
• 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup of pasta water (no need to buy; this will be created during the cooking)
• 2 pounds of sausage (sweet Italian-style, spicy Italian-style or a combination)
• 1 small sweet onion
• 5-6 baby peppers (equivalent to about 1.5 regular sized green bell peppers)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 43 ounces of crush tomatoes (this is typically one large can and one small can)
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 6 basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

Recommended Kitchen Equipment

• 1 large or extra-large non-stick pan
• 1 large pot
• ½ teaspoon measure
• large chopping knife
• Serving spoon
• Heat-resistant spatula

1. Prepare ingredients.

1. Wash and clean the produce.
2. Peel off the outer layers of the onion.  Cut in half and then chop widthwise.
3. Remove the core and deseed the peppers.  Chop lengthwise into strips.
4. Small dice the cherry tomatoes.
5. Mince the garlic.
6. Roughly chop the basil leaves.

2. Cook the pasta.

1. Fill a large pot with enough water to fully cover the pasta and add a pinch of salt.
2. Heat water on high until boiling.
3. Add the orzo pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
4. When cooked, drain the pasta, saving 1 cup of pasta water.
5. Put reserved pasta water aside.

3. Cook the sausage.

1. While pasta boils, add a thin layer of olive oil to the pan and heat on medium until hot.
2. Add the sausages, arranging in a single layer.
3. Cook the sausages for 12-15 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked through.
4. Remove the sausages and put aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
5. Cut cooked sausages diagonally into ½ inch thick slices.  If not cooked through, return to pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, turning the slices over until lightly browned.
6. Leave oil, grease, and remaining bits of sausage (fond) in pan.

4. Cook peppers and onions.

1. If the pan seems dry, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Heat olive oil and fond on medium heat.
3. When hot, add the chopped peppers, onions, and ½ of the garlic.
4. Season lightly with salt and pepper, as desired.
5. Stirring frequently, sauté for 4-6 minutes or until tender.
6. Remove peppers and onions from pan (leaving behind as much oil as possible) and put aside.
7. Retain the olive oil, fond, and any bits of pepper, onion, or garlic remaining in the pan.

5. Make the sauce.

*Important safety and cleanliness tip: The sauce is prone to splattering, but this problem can be minimized by stirring constantly while cooking.*

1. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and return fond to medium heat.
2. Add remaining garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.
3. Sauté while stirring constantly for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, diced cherry tomatoes, and ½ of the basil.
5. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.
6. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly, or until thickened.
7. Reduce heat to low/warm.
8. Remove about ¾ of a cup of sauce and put aside.
9. Add sausage and peppers to the pan of sauce.

6. Finish the pasta.

1. Place drained orzo pasta back into the pot and return to stove.
2. Add the butter, the remaining basil, the reserved ½ cup of sauce, and ½ of the reserved pasta water.
3. If pasta seems dry, add additional water.
4. Turn up heat to medium-high and cook about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly and breaking up any clumps of pasta.
5. Remove from heat when any excess water has cooked off and pasta is warm.

7. Serve the dish

*Important tip – The moon isn’t made of cheese and real cheese isn’t made with cellulose.  Unlike our competitors from Lunar Lines, NFCL serves only fresh parmesan cheese, grated at your table by one of our well-trained werewolves.*

1. Place pasta in bowls and top with sausage, peppers and onions, and as much sauce as desired.
2. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

“Lying on the Slab” is one of 15 entries in WEREWOLVES VERSUS: SPACE! Download the entire issue for any price on Gumroad or Itch.io! Your purchase will benefit all of the contributors to this issue.