Pasta with Italian Sausage, Spinach and Mushrooms
July 20, 2008
Fast and Fresh – Dinner in 30 Minutes, that was the subtitle of this recipe that I found in the wednesday Food section of the San Francisco Chronicle, and it was so delicious I had to share! Tara Duggan who is a staff writer for the Chronicle says that the flavors are so simple in this quick pasta, that it’s very important to season the pasta water and the sauce as well, while your cooking. Of course you don’t have use spicey italian sausage, any kind of sausage will be just fine. I liked this recipe because of the fresh ingredients; spinach, mushrooms, onions and parsley. And then of course I love farfalle pasta, because it’s a pretty pasta!
This recipe came from Tara’s cookbook “The Working Cook; Fast and Fresh Meals for Busy People” . Click here to purchase Tara’s book through Amazon. Please enjoy!
For more 30 Minute Main Dish Recipes recipes click here.
- 1 lb. farfalle pasta, or cup-shaped pasta like orecchiette, large shells or “gnocchi” pasta
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 lb. spicey Italian poultry sausage, casings removed and crumbled
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
- 6 ounces cleaned baby spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup dry white or red wine (I like red)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley or fennel fronds
- 1/3 to ½ cup grated parmesan + more to pass at the table
- 1 to 2 tbsp. butter (optional)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions. When done, drain shaking gently so that a little bit of water clings to the pasta, then pour back into it’s pot.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sausage and allow to brown on one side without stirring for one minute or two, then stir and chop into small pieces until crumbled and browned all over, about 5 minutes total.
Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon (to reduce fat, spread out sausage on paper towels to drain) and drain out the excess oil from the pan. Add the remaining tbsp. of oil, then add the onions
and reduce heat to medium. The pan may be getting brown at this point so stir constantly until the onions wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and let brown another 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. The liquid the vegetables release will help keep them from burning; if the pan seems dry, go ahead and add the wine.
Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, then add the wine, if you haven’t already, and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom, and increasing the heat. Return the sausage to the pan with the stock, bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces slightly, about 3 minutes.
Stir the sauce into the pasta, season with salt and lot’s of pepper, and stir in the parsley, parmesan and butter, if using. Serve with more parmesan cheese.
Serves: 6
Total time: 1 hour
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- Fettuccine with Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, and Sweet Italian Sausage
- Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle
- Italian Sausage and Artichoke Soup
