This pasta dish can be prepared in under 30 minutes and it's a great and easy midweek meal with a lot of flavour. Although the sausage is spicy, the tomato and cream sauce balance it, so the final result isn't as spicy as you would expect. For great results, choose a type of pasta that holds sauces well. I used funghetti, but penne would also work perfectly. Smooth, creamy sauce enriched with spicy smoked sausage, sweet red bell peppers and tomatoes, it is really a perfect meal for a pasta-lover.
Ingredients
300 grams smoked spicy sausage
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large red bell peppers, diced
2 small celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
400 grams diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
50 ml double cream
50 grams Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
300 grams funghetti pasta
Preparation
Heat a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut the smoked sausage into thin slices (but not too thin, you don't want it to burn), then dice it and cook on medium heat in a dry skillet, until it's fragrant and crispy. Make sure you keep stirring the pieces so they crisp it up evenly. Add the diced onions, celery and peppers and saute them for about 10 minutes, stirring often. While the onions are cooking, peel and dice the tomatoes. You do not have to be too careful about draining them, a bit of tomato juice is fine.
When the vegetables are cooked, add in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute, then tip in the tomatoes. Add the seasonings and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces and becomes thick. While the sauce is simmering, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain it well and keep warm. When the sauce is thickened, stir in the fresh parsley and the double cream, let it come to a boil, then toss in the pasta and Parmesan and stir everything well. Serve immediately. Yields 4 servings.
