Want to join Bill on his mission to buy food only from the Harvest Market for two weeks? How about starting with this recipe? You can get all the ingredients at the market this week, except maybe the Parmesan and the canned tomatoes—but you have those in your pantry already, right? Accompany the pasta with a salad of mixed baby greens, and serve fresh fruit for dessert.
Fresh Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Mushrooms
Serves 3 to 4.
Adapted from Tony Rosenfeld, “Make It Tonight,” Fine Cooking, Feb/Mar 2009.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 pound Italian chicken sausages, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 pound mixed sliced mushrooms (like oyster, shiitake, and cremini)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
- 1 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 package fresh tortellini, or other fresh or dried pasta
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, preferably freshly grated
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, onion, basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms soften and start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 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 5 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 cheese. Cook over medium heat, tossing for 1 minute. Serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese and some black pepper.