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Pasta-n-Sauce
This is the quickest way I know to prepare an authentic tasting tomato sauce, this time using spicy Italian turkey sausage to provide a rustic earthy nuance. "Aging" the sauce, by use of brown sugar and lemon juice is a handy technique that eliminates the need for a prolonged cooking time. Letting the sauce cool before reheating also creates a subtlety of flavor usually only found in a three-hour sauce. Crispy French or Italian bread makes a perfect accompaniment and of course, a fruity, dry red wine is recommended, such as those mentioned below.

Pasta-n-Sauce

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces fresh pasta

1/2 pound spicy Italian turkey sausage

1 medium onion

1/4 pound Shitake, Crimini or, if you must, regular mushrooms

6 each plum tomatoes, skinned & seeded

1/3 cup decent red wine (full-bodied red or Italian fruity)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or 2 tablespoons Marsala

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup Italian parsley

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper


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DIRECTIONS:
Place 5 quarts of water to boil in large saucepan. Squeeze sausage from casings, crush with spatula and place in large, non-stick sautee pan, on medium heat. Allow to brown for up to 10 minutes, then soak up visible fat lightly with paper towels, being careful not to scoop up any of the brown bits in the pan. Then add chopped onion and mushrooms.

When mushrooms are browned, in about 5 minutes, add garlic, mix well, and sautee on medium heat for a further 2 minutes. By now there should be browned bits on the bottom of the sauce pan from the sausage mixture. If not, then turn up heat and allow to brown for a further 3 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar to deglaze pan, then add wine and reduce over medium heat for 45 seconds. Add chopped tomato puree and brown sugar, and turn heat to low. Cover, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow sauce to cool for 15 minutes.

Add fresh angel hair pasta to boiling water, and cook until al dente, 1 minute 30 seconds. Salt and drain. Rinse pasta with hot water to eliminate stickiness. Let drain, and place one serving in middle of bowl, then spoon sauce over pasta. Then spoon over pasta, followed by a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley and basil. Add smidgen of parmesan cheese, should you feel so inclined.

Suggested Wine: Same wine as used in sauce(if it's good enough to cook with, it's good enough to drink). Preferred choices: Chianti Classico or Barolo, any decent Pinot Noir or a jolly, fruity Beaujolais (Morgon, Fleurie, Brouilly, etc.)


Nutritional Values

Calories (kcal): 497

Total Fat (g): 6.9

Saturated Fat (g): 1.6

Cholesterol (mg): 45

Carbohydrate (g): 8.25

Sodium (g): 225

% Calories from Fat: 12.8
% Daily Value of 200 Calories Diet

Total Fat (g): 11%

Saturated Fat (g): 8%

Cholesterol (mg): 15%

Sodium (g): 9%








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