This easy pasta dish is elegant enough for company or a special occasion meal and yet simple enough for a weeknight meal.
This recipe is a variation of a couple of other recipes I have and was unsure if it would be something Warren would like because of the white wine in it…. although he claims not to like wine.. he has yet to not like anything I cook with it… well… any worries evaporated when I saw him take seconds of the sauce and eat it with a spoon. I totally understood… the sauce is just that good.
TIPS
I use hot Italian sausage, you can use sweet sausage or a combination… personally I like the hot..it gives this sauce just a little zing.. but not too much.
I use link sausage and par boil it to get excess fat out and partially cook it so I don’t have to cook it so long when browning it.
I used crimini mushrooms, baby Portobello mushrooms would also work extremely well.
You can use heavy cream but I like to use Fat Free Half and Half… I think it works as well and cuts the fat in the dish considerably.
The wine is optional, but unless you have a strong objection to it… I would leave it in.. it makes the sauce amazing.
For the wine I used Yellow Tail Sauvignon Blanc.
You can serve the sauce over the pasta… but I like to toss the cooked pasta and the sauce together then plate it… you can do it either way.
Figure 1 cup cooked pasta per serving.
This recipe serves 4.
I hope you try this wonderful pasta dish!
Recipe: Italian Sausage and Mushrooms in a Creamy Tomato Sauce
All you need:
3 links hot Italian sausage
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pkg. (8 oz.) fresh mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup white wine
1 can (14.5 oz) Hunt’s diced tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
½ cup Fat Free Half and Half
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese
All you have to do:
Place the link sausage in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool enough to handle. Slice the cooked sausage and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic and stir well… cook for a minute.
Add the sliced sausage and cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are translucent (about 5-6 minutes) .. but don’t brown… if they start to brown lower the heat slightly.
Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Add the canned tomatoes (do NOT drain the can… add it all).
Place a lid on the skillet and lower heat until it just simmers. Simmer for 10 minutes.
In a measuring cup, combine the Fat Free Half and Half and the cornstarch. Stir until completely blended and no lumps remain. Add the mixture to the skillet and stir well. Simmer for 5minutes.
In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta and enough sauce to coat the pasta. Toss to coat the pasta evenly.
Serve in individual servings with additional sauce and grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
