Pasta with Homemade Sausage

 In Entree, Recipes

Ingredients

First, make the sausage:

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 generous teaspoon fresh rosemary or
  • ½ teaspoon dried, finely chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, pressed or finely chopped
  • 2 generous tablespoons Chateau Grand Traverse Dry Riesling
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before using or freezing.

Pasta:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ lb. sausage that you made yesterday
  • 1 cup canned whole tomatoes, with their juice, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons freshly torn basil leaves or slightly more and ½ teaspoon dried
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • ½ – 1 lb. pasta of your choice

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before using or freezing.
  2. Cook onion in melted butter over medium heat until soft.  Add sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, season lightly and add dried basil (if that is what you are using).  Cook until tomatoes are reduced and separated from butter.  Remove from heat.
  4. Cook pasta in boiling, salted water.  When nearly done al dente, return skillet with sauce to medium heat and add ricotta and fresh basil (if that is what you are using), mixing in evenly—watch carefully.
  5. Drain pasta and toss with sauce.  Either sprinkle with grated cheese, or pass cheese at the table

Note:  Leftover wine can be poured into a glass and sipped by the cook!  You can also add a few tablespoons to the sauce!

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