Do you ever have one of those recipes that gets requested over and over and over again? Almost so much you get sick of making it even? This is that one for me. It’s Ged’s very favorite pasta. Actually its Ged’s very favorite meal in the entire world. He loves this more than anything else. As a matter of fact when I tell him that I’m making it he will sometimes do a dance he’s so happy. Now Ged’s Mom requests it for birthdays, we made it for Ged’s Sister when she visited. It’s one of my all time go to dishes and it never, ever dissapoints.
This is a Giada de Laurentis adaptation. She used artichoke hearts which I can’t stand. So I omitted them. She also didn’t use cornstarch which left the sauce a little too runny for me. Off we go!
First thing first. We start with a pan on medium heat. At home I’d have probably used my nonstick skillet but the pans I have here aren’t large enough to accommodate the sauce. So I use my Le Creuset.
Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil to warm up.
Next dig out the hot sausage. Please please please don’t substitute sweet sausage. It’ll offset the whole dish and not in a good way. I tried it once and, yeah, not good. It really doesn’t turn out to be all that spicy in the end.
I use about 3 of them this time. That way I’ve got 2 stashed in the freezer for next time. With some stuff from the pantry it becomes an insta-freezer meal waiting to happen. Whoot.
De skin them. This is gross, I know. I took a picture of the skins but it almost made me dry heave. If you’re brave here is the picture but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Now break it up and drop it in the pan. Cook em until they’re crispy and brown.
While that cooks, grab some chicken stock and measure out one and three quarter cups.
Add a half cup of white wine. Oh and remember, I are not connoisseur. Use whatever type of wine you particularly like.
Once the sausage is all browned, add the wine/broth. You could be a Miss Priss and drain off the drippings from the sausage but seriously, it adds a lot of flavor. vm,
Now I know this is where I’m gonna lose a lot of people. Sun Dried Tomatoes. Wait! Don’t go! I promise they won’t be chewy or ucky or gross. They’ll add a rich tomato flavor and rehydrate for the most part. They’ll give it an awesome tomatoey flavor without being too fresh tasting for this recipe. I swear to you by the power of Greyskull it’s yummy.
I use about 4 or 5 but if you’re skittish at first use 2 or 3 then work your way up.
Chop them up roughly. I like to go about a inch cubed. If you go smaller they’ll dissolve a little more. Then add it to the sauce.
Since I am a garlic-o-holic I add lots. You can add as much as you like but I this its at its best when you use a lot of garlic. I just scoop a good mound.
Last thing. Add some salt and pepper. Also, add about a teaspoon of Italian Seasoning. You don’t have to be all RR and measure in your palm. I just don’t have any measuring spoons here. Because I’m livin’ hood fabulous.
So while thats simmering put a pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta.
Salt it of course. We’re gonna be using Fusilli. Any corkscrew pasta will work. It really grabs the sauce and cheese well.
When the water comes to add the pasta.
While the pasta is boiling, add some cornstarch to a jar. When I first made this Giada’s way it was just too runny. The sauce didn’t stick to the pasta at all. When I served it it tasted like plain noodles and all the sauce was in a puddle at the bottom. I think using the cornstarch is a happy medium. It’s like really yummy Italian Gravy.
Then mix it up with some chicken stock.
Add it to the sauce.
“Peas. I begz you. I can has sausage? I be good my whole life. I swearz. I never askz for nething againz.”
Add some Parmesan cheese to the sauce. You could add it later but it stays in clumps. It blends better if you add it to the sauce first.
When the pasta is done pull it from the water.
Then add it to the sauce.
Stir it up and get it all coated is sauce. Oooooooooo, if you were a noodle you’d be getting the most delicious facial ever.
Cut up some fresh mozzarella. Yeah dude. Fresh mozzarella. Gooey, stringy mozzarella. Heaven help my thunder thighs but I can’t skimp on the cheese.
Serve it up pretty quickly because once the cheese gets stringy its murder to dig out of the pan. Look at that. Good God is there anything better?
Ged says no and that it was an easy question.
