Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms

Looking for a new pasta recipe for dinner this week? You should definitely try this one out... it takes about a half hour to both prep and cook this meal. I was lucky enough to have Shaun lend a helping hand in the kitchen for this one. I left him at the stove as I ran around chopping and dumping ingredients into the skillet. I have to admit, he is getting much better at helping me in the kitchen! That is as long as the Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox or now Celtics since they are in the Playoffs, oh and sometimes golf, are not on TV. I am happy nonetheless.

This recipe was adapted from Fine Cooking magazine, December 2008. Tony Rosenfeld, who happens to be the co-founder of b.good in Boston, created this recipe. b.good is a delicious and healthy fast food chain that I happen to like a lot. They have 7 locations in and around Boston now. If you have not tried it yet, go there - they have yummy baked fries and sweet potato fries - you won't miss the deep frying at all. Tony also has two cookbooks worth checking out - 150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken and 50 Ways to Roast It and Sear, Sauce and Serve. He is also featured in magazines and newspapers, which you can see on his website, tonyrosenfeld.com. Okay, okay, enough about Tony (I think I've made it clear that I think he's a pretty cool guy) - here is the recipe -->

Ingredients:
Kosher Salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2-3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 scallions (white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth

8oz (1/2 box) tri-color ziti or pasta of your choice

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crumbled, about 5-8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, scallions, rosemary, red pepper flakes, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms soften and start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the baby spinach, tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a boil, and then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until the sausage is heated through and the flavors are melded, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions until it's just al dente. Drain well and add to the sauce along with half the Parmesan. Cook over medium heat, tossing for 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan and some black pepper. Serves 2 (well, Shaun and I).

This recipe is easily adapted to feed more than two people - make more pasta and add more veggies! You may or may not need a little more liquids for the "sauce" as well. It was a delightful dinner that was easy to make. There are not many spices involved but the sausage gives the meal a ton of flavor. When you make a dish that requires simple ingredients like this one, it is important to use quality ones. The sausage and Parmesan cheese are the most prominent flavors here so I did not skimp when buying them. Please don't use grated cheese sitting on a shelf. That's all I ask! Tutti Mangia!