Author Notes
Simple is good right? This pasta recipe is one of those special meals that's easy to pull together on a weeknight for the fam or to impress at a dinner party. It's both rustic and classy, and can simply serve two or a big crowd with gusto! Robust sausages and mushrooms envelop in a butter cream sauce and a hearty splash of Marsala marries the flavors together. —Michelle Swift
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Ingredients
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1/2 pound
sausage (3 links of Kostas Wine Sausages), casings removed and meat crumbled
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8 ounces
King, cremini, or white mushrooms, sliced
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1 1/2 tablespoons
onion, chopped
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2 tablespoons
butter
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1 tablespoon
extra virgin olive oil
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a few sprigs
fresh thyme
-
a pinches
of crushed red pepper (optional)
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2/3 cup
heavy whipping cream
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hefty splashes
of Marsala (about 1/4 cup)
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freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
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fresh parsley, chopped
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freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
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1 pound
pasta (rigatoni, penne, fusilli or any pasta that has a twist or groove for the sauce to cling to)
Directions
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Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Once boiling, add a palm-full of coarse sea salt and the pasta, cook until al dente.
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While the pasta is cooking, put the butter and extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and fragrant. Next add the mushrooms and cook until softened a few minutes. Add the crumbled sausage, thyme and a pinch of crushed red pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. Add some freshly ground black pepper to taste (this pasta is great with fresh black pepper,) then add a hefty splash of Marsala and cook off the wine for about 1 minute. Next, add the cream and cook until the cream has thickened, giving the sauce a stir now and then.
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When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss with the sauce and serve with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan -– and don't be shy, the grated cheese is lovely with this cream sauce.
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