Tomatoes and Italian Sausage over Pasta

Let's head inside and see what looks good for dinner tonight.  It is one of those days that you get home from work and shed that work mode by getting your hands dirty doing some garden chores.  The weather here in the Chicagoland area has been downright sultry.  High in the 80's and humid from all of the rain moving through this area. The heck with running to the market let's work with what is in the pantry.  Take a good look in your own pantry and you will probably find the same items.  Throw them together for a quick and delicious pasta dinner.



The Italian sausage I had in my freezer. This is from C&D Family Farms in Indiana. Packed April 24th! Fresh, fresh meat.  If you have not tried pastured pork over mass produced pork, you need to give it a try.  It is so good and also good for you.



This is a very quick and easy pasta dish and everyone seems to love it.  The last thing you want to do is heat up the house with hot and humid in the forecast.  This recipe keeps everything stove top so that keeps it cool in the kitchen with Gardenmama!

This is not a simmer for hours pasta sauce or gravy as my Italian friends call it.  It is something I came up with when I had no sauce in a jar or time to simmer a sauce.  It is also much fresher than a jar of sauce because of the diced tomatoes used as the base.

I like a spicy Italian sausage.  Use what you like.  No Italian sausage?  Use ground beef or pork or lamb.  Whatever you like. Same with the type of pasta, use what you have on hand. No fancy chopping either, this is a rustic sauce.  (hint: I add whole black olives to my serving!)

TOMATOES AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE OVER PASTA

 

1 large pot of boiling water

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 T. EVOO

1 lb of Italian sausage, remove casings

1 t. of crushed oregano

1 t. of crushed Italian seasoning

1 T. of fennel seed, crushed

1 32 ounce can of diced tomatoes DO NOT DRAIN

1 t. of red pepper flakes

1 14 ounce can of tomato sauce

1 T. of Hot Giardiniera

1/2 C of parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 box of pasta

1/3 C of flat leaf parsley, chopped

4-6 sprigs of fresh oregano, chopped

 

Fill the large pot with water and set on stove to bring to a boil.

Dice the onion and chop the garlic.  Set aside.

(Hint: Use that netting the onions come in as a lint catcher for your washing machine hose.)

 

Using medium high heat, heat the EVOO in a deep pan.  After removing the sausage casing, crumble the sausage into the deep pan and stir to keep it separated and crumbled.

 

After 5 minutes if necessary drain excess oil from the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes stirring occasionally.  The onions should look translucent and softened.

 

Add 1 t. of crushed oregano, 1 t. of crushed Italian seasoning, 1 T. of crushed fennel seed.  Stir to combine.

 

Add 1 32 ounce can of diced tomatoes with the tomato juice.  Add 1 t. of red pepper flakes.  Stir to combine.  Continue cooking to soften the tomatoes about 5 minutes.

 

Add 1 14 ounce can of tomato sauce and 1 T. of hot giardiniera and 1/2 C of parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.

 

Let the sauce simmer while the pasta cooks.

Salt the pot of boiling water and add the pasta.  Boil until tender.  Drain and stir the pasta into the deep pan of rustic tomato sauce.  Stir to combine the pasta with the sauce.

 

Sprinkle the chopped fresh, flat leaf parsley and chopped, fresh oregano on top of the pasta.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Shred fresh parmesan and fresh romano on top of the pasta and serve. ENJOY :)

 

Cooking is like love.  It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.

Harriet Van Horne