Quick and easy dinners… Something we can all appreciate and are always in search of. This pasta dish is ready in about 30 minutes and you can switch up some of the ingredients to change the flavors. Instead of using regular canned diced tomatoes you can try one that is seasoned with different spices and instead of orecchiette pasta you can easily substitute small shells. And maybe instead of spinach try arugula. As you can see the possibilities are endless.
Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach
Ingredients:
16 ounces sweet Italian sausage
1 bunch scallions, chopped (white and green parts separated)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
16 ounces orecchiette
5 ounce bag of baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the scallion white and rosemary and cook until the scallions have wilted. Add the tomatoes with their juices and 1/2 cup of the boiling water. Let simmer while the pasta cooks.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water then drain the pasta.
Add the pasta to the tomato sauce along with the spinach and half of the scallion green. Toss to coat the pasta with the sauce and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted. Gradually add the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and remove from the heat.
Sprinkle the cheese and remaining scallions over the pasta when serving.
Recipe slightly modified from Food Network
Bead Yarn & Spatula 