Tonight we had one of my favorite meals for dinner, and I thought I'd share the recipe here. It's slightly spicy, light enough for summer yet meaty enough for winter. And I am forever turned on to fresh pasta (as opposed to dry pasta) after eating this. (And as a disclaimer, I don't really like mushrooms but this is still great.)
Fresh Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage (cut into 1-inch pieces) (you could also use pork)
1/2 lb mixed sliced mushrooms (like oyster, shiitake, and cremini)
4 medium scallions, thinly sliced (green & white parts)
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
1 12-oz package fresh linguini (like Buitoni)
3/4 c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Boil water for pasta
Meanwhile:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until simmering hot. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms, scallions, rosemary, red pepper flakes, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms soften and start to brown, 3 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Put pasta into boiling water and cook about 5 minutes.
5. Cook sausage mixture until flavors are melded and sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
6. Drain pasta well and add to sausage mixture. (I like to cut the linguini in half first, because it's hard to mix together when it's so long.)
Serve sprinkled with the cheese.
