16 oz Package of Orecchiette 

1 lb of Ground Sweet Italian Sausage

1 jar Roasted Red Peppers (buy in jar packed in olive oil)

1 1/2 cups diced onion (preferably sweet like Vidalia)

1 bunch (about 4 loosely packed cups) of Fresh Whole Leaf Spinach – stems removed

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup loosely packed Shredded Parmesan Cheese

 

Notes:

Frozen Spinach can be substituted (a box)  – defrost and remove as much water as possible before adding.

If Ground Sausage is unavailable – use Link Sausage and remove from the skins.

You can substitute other Pastas, such as Penne – as long as they “hold up to the lumps of Sausage” – hearty pastas that can grab onto the Sausage are better.

Do not drain oil from Red Peppers – add them with whatever oil clings to them!

 

Instructions:

Sausage Sauté: 

Heat Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot (slight rippling in the oil tells you its ready.) 

Add the diced Onions and sauté until softened and slightly yellow in color. 

Add the Ground Sausage (in lumps) and sauté until browned. 

Stir in diced Roasted Red Peppers.

Add Whole Leaf Spinach and slowly turn into the Sausage mixture until reduced in size and cooked through. 

 

Pasta:

Cook according to package instructions until al dente.  Drain pot and pasta into a colander.  Add pasta back into the empty pot you cooked it in, Add 3/4 (or to taste) of the Parmesan Cheese and carefully stir in.  Fold Sausage Sauté into Pasta.

 

Serve in large bowls – sprinkle remaining Parmesan Cheese on top to individual taste.

If you follow standard 2 oz pasta serving size – this would serve eight – all depends on how much you eat!