Saturday, May 7, 2011

Orecchiette Pasta with Hot sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce


I LOVE pasta.....I think I could eat pasta any time of day and when I ran across this on http://thepioneerwoman.com/ I had to give it a try. It uses Orecchiette Pasta which I've always wanted to cook with but hadn't been able to find it until now!! It's at Walmart! woo hoo!  It's the pasta that resembles little ears!! Cute!! But you can use any kind of pasta that you want to with this dish and it would still be Yummo! I added hot sausage to mine, and I also added a can of tomatoe sauce along with some basil. I thought just using red peppers was on the bitter side, so I added this and that to mine. This turned out yummo!! I served mine with Focaccia Bread and steamed asparagus.

Orecchiette Pasta with Hot sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
3 whole Red Bell Peppers (I used a whole jar of the already Roasted Red Peppers, drained, instead of roasting my own)
2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts (optional)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 package Johnsonville Hot Italian Sausage
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 small package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 (8 ounce ) can tomatoe sauce
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon choppped fresh basil (remember-I love the pre-chopped stuff in the tube until I can grow my own!) or you can use a teaspoon of the dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 fresh parsley, chopped (or about a Tablespoon dried)
½ cups Heavy Cream
Fresh Parmesan, Shaved Or Grated
1/2 cup mozerella cheese, grated
½ pounds (to 1 Pound) Pasta: Orecchiette, Penne, Fusilli, Etc.

Preparation Instructions:
Roast red peppers, and then place in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then removed seeds. Set aside. (using the already roasted red peppers in the jar is easier!)
Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.
Puree peppers with pine nuts. Set aside.
Slice the hot sausage links into bite size pieces.
In a large skillet over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Then add your hot sausage and cook over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage from pan and let drain on paper towel; set aside.  Add diced onions, mushrooms, and garlic to sausage oil and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree, tomatoe sauce, sugar, basil, salt , pepper, and dried parsley (if using fresh parsley put in last for a garnish). Stir to combine. Add you hot sausage at this point as well, and let this cook together for about 15 minutes for the flavors to blend while you cook the pasta.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Turn heat down to medium low on your sauce and pour cream into it; stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, and then stir together.
Place pasta into a  serving bowl, top with  Mozzerella cheese, chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.
Serve and enjoy!! YUMMMMO!!!

2 comments:

  1. this looks like something my family will love. can't wait to try! and you sound so innocent staying that this pasta looks like little ears. i've always heard it referred to as looking like condoms. LOL!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's funny Jocee!!! I've always heard it referred to 'little ears'! never condoms!! LOL

    ReplyDelete

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