Hot Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta

1 lb dry fettuccine
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
4 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
1 pint red or yellow cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1 cup arugula, torn
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over med-hi heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook about 5 min., using a wooden spoon to crumble it. Add the tomatoes and cook until the skins burst, about 8 min. Stir in the vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the cooked fettuccine, basil, and arugula and toss gently to combine. Serve in bowls and top with Parmesan.

Source: Real Simple, June 2005

I didn't follow the recipe, of course. I used five hot Italian sausages because that's what comes in a standard package. The cherry tomatoes didn't look too good at the store, so I used grape tomatoes and cut them in smaller pieces. I also used baby spinach in place of the arugula and basil - and I sauteed the spinach with the tomatoes because I like it wilted a little in my pasta. (I did add a little dried basil though.)

This was my new recipe of the week - and it was very good. But don't drain the past as long as I did. Drain it quickly and then throw it back in the pasta pot so the noodles still have a little water left on them. My pasta had been draining for a while and when I went to toss the sauce and the noodles, they didn't stick well together.

Comments

[Muenchen Restaurant]

Italian pasta and they are all very simple. In general, pasta or noodles should be cooked in lightly salted water for 10-20 minutes (cooking time depends largely on the type of flour used and the type of products). Salt is not necessary, that replaces the spices. By the way, can be eaten without cooking, washing it down with something. In any case, no cooking is allowed in the dining room. Macaroni Just be opaque (white) and soft.

[Janet File]

Other people probably don't know that grape tomatoes can be used in place of cherry tomatoes. I think they could use your recipe. In cooking, it's good to do some experiments! It would be nice to explore many recipes and mix them together. By doing this, one can also learn a lesson just like what you experienced in draining the pasta.