CREAMY TOMATO PASTA WITH SAUSAGE
I’m all about ensuring that the last pieces of food in my freezer or fridge are used up. This week, rather than making a pasta recipe with red sauce, I jazzed it up by adding a bit of remaining heavy cream, the remaining portion of a spinach bag, and some Italian sausage instead of ground beef. Simple substitutions and ingredients can improve the Creamy Tomato Pasta with Sausage over the usual pasta you cook for dinner!
WHAT’S IN THE CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE?
This red sauce is identical to the sauce I use for the recipe for my baked Ziti, which is incredibly thick and tomato-y. I poured a bit of heavy cream to temper the acidity and make it even more delicious; The cream is simply magical.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE HEAVY CREAM?
I’ve been known to melt some cream cheese in my pasta sauces. It produces an incredibly smooth and tart final, so that’s one alternative (use 2 to 4 pounds). The other alternative is to take it out and preserve it as a standard red sauce. Using milk or any other dairy product with lower fat isn’t advisable because the high heat level and acidity from tomatoes are likely to make them curdle. Another reason why heavy cream works is that it’s magical.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT PASTA?
Absolutely! Because it is prepared separately, unlike one-pot pasta cooked in one pot, you can make any kind or form of pasta you prefer. It’s not necessary to fret about measuring. Just take about half of the one-pound package.
WHAT OTHER VEGETABLES CAN I USE?
I believe the kale is an excellent choice with this combination, but since it’s stronger than spinach, you’ll need to sauté on the stove for a few moments (after the sausage has browned) to let it soften. It’s also possible to throw into frozen broccoli that has been frozen and thawed, In florets.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. Italian sausage (hot, mild, or sweet) ($2.25)
Two cloves of garlic ($0.16)
2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.10)
1 28oz. can of tomatoes that have been crushed ($0.85)
One teaspoon of Italian mix of seasoning ($0.10)
1/2 cup of water ($0.00)
1/2 lb. pasta* ($1.25)
1/3 cup of heavy cream ($0.19)
Four oz. fresh spinach ($0.85)
INSTRUCTIONS
Incorporate your Italian sausage in a large pan or skillet and cook on moderate heat, breaking it into pieces while cooking. Cut two cloves of garlic into pieces, add them to the cooked sausage, and cook for one minute longer.
Then you’ll need to add tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and water. Mix well and then dissolve the browning bits on the pan’s sides. Let the sauce simmer to a boil. After it has cooled, put the lid in a tilted position (to let steam out and prevent splatter from forming) and reduce the heat to low to medium. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring it frequently as you cook the pasta.
Ensure you bring a large pot of water to the point of boiling for the pasta. When the water is boiling, add the pasta, and let it cook until it becomes cooked (7-10 minutes, based on the kind of pasta). Rinse the pasta using a filter.
After the pasta is cooked and the sauce simmered for a few minutes, mix the heavy cream into the sauce for pasta. Add the fresh spinach, and incorporate it into the sauce until it has wilted.
Then, add the cooked and rinsed pasta to the sauce and stir until it is well-mixed. Serve and take pleasure in the meal!
