Thursdays Are For Cooking

 

This recipe comes from https://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-One-Skillet-Italian-Sausage-Pasta-7397

I found something very like it in Cosmopolitan back when that s–t was editor, trying to wake up us girls to how independent we could be. But I digress.

This is a basic recipe for a one-skillet meal, made with short pasta and mild or sweet Italian sausage.  I’ve made it with both, and find that the mild Italian has its good points, as does the sweet Italian… but then, when I think of sweet Italians, the sound of the late great Pavarotti fill my head and my mind goes wandering again. He’s the only tenor who could make me cry when he sang Nessun Dorma.

As I said, this is the most basic recipe for a good pasta and sausage dish, the advantage for it being that you use only one skillet to cook the entire thing, and it is all simmered on a low heat, and yes, use a cover on the skillet.

You can substitute chicken broth for water, and any other short pasta for penne (tubes), and add your own touches to the flavoring and seasoning, but in place of just parmagiano, perhaps Asiago would provide more flavor, and fresh garlic and basil (if you can get them) are always welcome in this dish. It also keeps well and is even better the next day, when it has had time to percolate in the refrigerator, so you might want to consider that when you make it.

Also, to thicken the sauce a bit, you might want to add some tomato paste.

The door to creative cookery is open on this one, so have fun with it, and remember to add things like a basket of good crusty bread, a tray of olives and cut vegetables to pass, a tasty dessert like a tiramisu or cheesecake, and good conversation around the table.

 

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups water

1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt’s® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, undrained

1 cup Hunt’s® Tomato Sauce

8 ounces dry penne pasta, uncooked

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 pound Italian pork sausage

Directions:

STEP ONE  Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook 5 minutes, breaking apart with spoon to crumble. Drain; return to skillet.

STEP TWO Add water, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce and pasta to skillet; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and cook 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.

STEP THREE Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

Buon apettito! Ciao bella!

 

Category: Economy