Gemelli and Sausage
Yields: 4 servings
Time: 25-30 minutes
The inspiration for this recipe comes from the great Lidia Bastianich. Lidia is the epitome of an Italian nonna, or grandmother. She creates easy, classic Italian recipes that are great for the home cook. I took her gemelli recipe and added my own twist with hot italian sausage and layers of spices and herbs to create a flavor-packed pasta. The heat level can easily be adjusted for any tolerance level. It’s also easily adaptable to several types of protein, or enjoy as a vegetarian dish! Quick and simple, this is a great weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
Ingredients:
1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lb. gemelli
28oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes
Yellow onion
Garlic
Cherry peppers, seeded
Olive oil
Unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Bay leaves
Cooking sherry
Fresh parsley
Fresh basli
Pecorino Romano
Directions
Step One:
Roughly chop half a yellow onion, 6-7 cherry peppers, and a few cloves of garlic.
Heat a few tablespoons each of olive oil and unsalted butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes. Add in peppers and garlic, then season to taste with kosher and black pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Step Two:
Add un-cased sausage and break up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until fully browned. Season with a few teaspoons of red pepper flakes and add 2 bay leaves.
Step Three:
Open the can of tomatoes and drain half of the excess liquid from the tomatoes. Then add the remaining tomatoes into pan and gently break up with a spoon. Add two capfuls of sherry and bring mixture to a lively simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed. Reduce to a low simmer. Stir in a few tablespoons of chopped parsley and basil.
Step Four:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season very generously with kosher salt. Cook gemelli for 10-12 minutes or according to box directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Step Five:
Pour pasta directly into sauce pan and toss thoroughly. If mixture seems dry, add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water. Remove bay leaves then grate fresh pecorino on top. Toss and taste for seasoning.
Serve with extra pecorino and a sprinkle of parsley.
