At least not in a traditional sense. But this was one of those dinners that just came together so easily, and turned out much more tasty than I thought possible. I mean, I thought it would be passable as edible, but I wasn’t expecting how delicious it would be- and I definitely didn’t expect Andy to tell me how much he really enjoyed it too.
This was a product of stretching. I had all these single ingredients, that if I tried to do something with them, they would not amount to enough to feed a family of four. But by combining them, dinner turned out wonderfully. There is also an added bonus. Some of the ingredients used today, were also used in a second meal the day before, so I’ll share that one either tomorrow or the next day. I love it when you can utilize the same ingredients, because that results in little waste from the kitchen- always a great thing.
This simple pasta dish began with 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. If you don’t have bacon fat, just use whatever oil you do have on hand. I like the flavor bacon fat adds, so I use it when I have it. Heat up the fat in a deep skillet over medium-high heat, and at the same time, get some water on to boil some pasta. Salt that pasta water. While your fat is heating up, chop half a red bell pepper (or green, whatever you have on hand) and half of an onion. Just a basic dice will do. Then mince up three small cloves of garlic. When the fat is hot, add the onions and peppers and give them a minute or two to cook. Next, you’re going to take one package of Smoked Sausage and slice it up. I used Hillshire Farms brand smoked sausage- the kind that’s one big long sausage- I believe they are 1 pound a piece. Add the sausage slices and the garlic to the pan and give it another toss. Let this cook for about five minutes, giving it a stir every now and then.
By now, your pasta water should be boiling. Add some spaghetti, fettuccini, or spaghetti rigate to the water and get that cooking.
Next, grab one large can of stewed tomatoes- the 28 ounce can, and dump that into your sausage. If the tomatoes are in large pieces, go through with a kitchen shears and just snip them in half. We’re also going to add 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon or so of freshly ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Bring this mixture to a boil with the lid on. Once it’s come to a boil, remove the cover, and just stir it occasionally.
When your pasta is al dente, drain it, and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pasta. Toss to coat and melt, and then add 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, and toss again. This added a really nice layer of flavor to the dish, and I wouldn’t skip it. Any parmesan will do- I’m not fancy, and I just use a local brand that comes in a can. Give your pasta sauce a taste. I found mine to be just a touch too salty, so then I also added 2 ladle-fulls of pasta cooking water. This reduced the saltiness a touch, and also gave the sauce a velvety texture from the starch in the water.
Dinner is ready! This took, total, about 15 minutes from start to finish. I served the really chunky sauce on top of the spaghetti, and then gave it an extra sprinkle of Parmesan. We had a simple tossed salad on the side, and it was so much better than expected. This also made a lot. It was more than enough for our family of four. Had we added garlic bread to the meal, it would have been enough for six, but as it was, it was enough for five- given that two of our appetites are under ten years old. If you have hungry teenagers, I’m afraid I have no idea how many this will serve.
Easy Smoked Sausage Pasta
3/4 pound of spaghetti, fettuccine, or spaghetti rigate 1 Tablespoon bacon fat, olive oil or other cooking oil1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1/2 yellow onion, diced 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound Smoked Sausage, sliced (or Kielbasa would work too) 1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 Tablespoon butter 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish 1 cup of pasta cooking water
Heat a deep skillet over medium high heat and add the fat to the pan. When it’s hot and ready, add the bell pepper and onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and sausage, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, adding salt to the cooking water, and being sure to reserve 1 cup of the water before draining.
Add the stewed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce to the sausage mixture. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove the cover and continue cooking for just a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to check for seasoning, and add some of the pasta cooking water, starting with about 1/2 a cup and seeing how it is from there. Most likely, that will be enough.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and toss with the butter and the Parmesan cheese.
Serve the chunky sausage sauce over the pasta, and sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.
Serves 4 generously.