Clams With Spicy Sausage in Garlicky Tomato Broth

March 11, 2018 by 4 Comments

spicy clams

Get your napkins ready, because there’s nothing like a big pot of clams with spicy Italian sausage floating in a garlicky tomato broth! Other than some crusty bread for dunking, that’s all you’ll be needing with this.sausage and clams

Let’s talk clams, Littleneck clams are best for this recipe, fresh of course. Make sure you clean them really good, trust me, tasting sand is something you do not want!

I like to scrub the clams really good with a stiff brush removing any out side sand, then soak them in a bowl of cold water with some cornmeal sprinkled in for twenty minutes, the cornmeal helps to draw out any of the sand that might be inside the shells, then fill the bowl with water and rinse again, filling with cold water and rinsing a couple more times.

If you see any shells that are open test them by tapping them against another clam, hopefully they will close, if not just discard. Likewise you’ll want to discard If any of the shells are cracked and chipped.

You can pretty much count on some not opening so allow for that when your buying them so you’ll want to add a few extra.

sausage and clams

I like using thinly shaved garlic in this recipe, the garlic pieces seem to land right into the shells and it’s so delicious! Spicy Italian sausage is key, it flavors the dish so well, but if you need something less spicy go with mild and just add a little red pepper flakes, you need a little kick!

sausage and clamsclams and spicy sausage

You could add pasta with this if you like but I think you’ll be throughly content with some warm crusty bread for dunking!

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5.0 from 1 reviews
Clams With Spicy Sausage in Garlicky Tomato Broth
 
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This recipe will happily feed two, so feel free to adjust amounts accordingly.
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Ingredients
  • 2 dozen Littleneck clams
  • ¾ lb of spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 14 oz. can of cherry tomatoes or baby roma tomatoes ( I used Mutti brand)
  • ½ bottle of clam juice about 4 oz. is needed
  • 5 large garlic cloves, shaved or thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • a good splash of white wine
  • a bunch of parsley
  • a knob of butter
  • olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a heavy bottomed pot or skillet with high sides, drizzle in some olive oil and cook the sausage on medium high heat, making sure to break it up into smaller pieces and cook until you see no more pink then remove from pan and set aside.
  2. In same skillet drizzle a little more olive oil into the pan then add in the garlic and onions and saute until soft but not caramelized.
  3. Add the clams tossing them a few times into the garlic and onions.
  4. Add the white wine to deglaze and let it cook down a couple of minutes, tossing the clams.
  5. Add in the tomatoes and all the sausage back in stirring until well distributed, then stick a cover on the pan so the clams can steam in the liquid and open up gently.
  6. When clams have all opened up, stir in a knob of butter and chopped parsley for garnish, maybe a quick drizzle of olive oil too.
  7. If a clam didn't open and the rest did, just discard it.
  8. Don't forget the crusty bread, I like to slice a rustic loaf and drizzle with olive oil and stick under the broiler to get it crunchy, but keep checking it could burn easily!

 

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4 Comments Filed Under: Seafood Tagged: , , ,

Italian Specialty Sausage and Beans

January 24, 2018 by 10 Comments

Italian sausage and beans

Here’s a quick mid week meal that comes together really fast, it has just a few ingredients, uses only one pot, and you don’t even have to turn on your oven.

What makes this recipe stand out a little more than the traditional sausage and beans was the fact that this time I used a specialty sausage, you know the ones behind the case that the butchers stuff with unique combinations.Italian sausage and beans

The base was a standard pork Italian sausage that was stuffed and filled with hot giardiniera and provolone cheese, don’t get me wrong you can certainly use your favorite Italian sausage, with or without a specialty filling, but why not change it up a bit and try something a little different, there are so many different varieties of sausages.

 

You’ll use canned beans in this dish which is the reason the cooking process is so speedy and of course the beans of choice are cannellini. garlic and tomatoes

Browning the sausage is your first step, that process will leave you with nice brown bits that will form at the bottom of the pan, perfect to saute the garlic and tomatoes in and eventually creating a delicious sauce. Italian sausage and beans

Canned beans go into the pot along with the browned sausage, then all you have to do is let all the flavors simmer and meld together.Italian sausage and beans

Finish it off with some fresh torn basil and a side of crusty bread and this meal is complete!

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Italian Specialty Sausage and Beans
 
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This recipe was inspired by an episode I watched on Extra Virgin
Author:
Ingredients
  • 4-6 Italian sausage links, either traditional or to try something different using the specialty, gourmet kind that the butcher stuffs with various combinations of ingredients.
  • 1 lb. of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 15 oz. cans of cannellini beans that have been drained and rinsed
  • 4 large garlic cloves, shaved
  • basil leaves
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Heat a heavy bottom high sided saute pan, cast iron pan or a smaller size dutch oven, drizzle the bottom with olive oil.
  2. Place the sausage links into the hot pan and brown both sides, then remove and set aside.
  3. Add the shaved garlic, moving it around until it's nice and golden.
  4. Toss in the sliced cherry tomatoes along with the shaved garlic, toss to coat the tomatoes.
  5. Now add the drained beans to the pot, stirring to make sure they get coated with the garlic and tomatoes.
  6. Drizzle some olive oil on top, a little salt and pepper.
  7. Add back the sausage and nestle them into the pot.
  8. Throw some torn basil leaves in.
  9. Simmer with a lid on until the sausage is all cooked through and the tomatoes break down and thicken.
  10. Add fresh torn basil leaves for garnish and added flavor.
  11. Enjoy with some crusty bread!

 

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10 Comments Filed Under: Beans, Meats, Winter Tagged: , , , , , ,

Brussels Sprouts, Italian Sausage and Balsamic Glaze

November 9, 2017 by 7 Comments

brussels sprouts and sausage

If brussels sprouts always seem to make an appearance on your holiday table then you’re in for a real treat with this delicious combination. Roasted brussels sprouts tossed together with the flavors of sweet Italian sausage flecked with fennel and spices and adorned with a rich, aged balsamic glaze.

This creation came to me last year by way of a friend and fellow blogger Lori, at Taste With The Eyes and I’ve been making it ever since. I served it for my family last Thanksgiving and I have to say not only does it taste amazing, it makes a gorgeous presentation on the table.brussels sprouts and sausage

Those of you who are on the fence about brussels sprouts I urge you to give this a try, the combination of the Italian sausage and the sweet balsamic glaze helps to cut the slight bitterness of the brussels sprouts, and roasting them heightens the flavor.

brussels sprouts and sausage

The holidays are upon us with Thanksgiving right around the corner so get out your prettiest platter out and grace your table with this amazing side dish!

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5.0 from 1 reviews
Brussels Sprouts, Italian Sausage and Balsamic Glaze
 
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Ingredients
  • Brussels sprouts, normal to small size
  • Italian sausage, sweet with fennel
  • Good quality balsamic glaze in a squeeze bottle for easy decorating
  • parsley
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Slice your sprouts in half lengthwise
  3. Toss sprouts with a good drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper
  4. Place onto a rimmed baking sheet cut side down and roast until tender and golden but not overcooked or too deep of a caramelization.
  5. In the meantime remove sausage from casing, place into a skillet on the stove and crumble it into bite size pieces.
  6. Cook sausage until completely done, remove and drain on paper towel.
  7. Toss the roasted sprouts with the cooked sausage, add some chopped parsley and place it all on a beautiful platter preferably with a rim so you can decorate it with the glaze.
  8. When your ready to serve and eat it drizzle some balsamic glaze all over the sprouts and sausage ( go light it's very potent, taste to see if it's to your liking) then decorate the rim of the platter with more of the glaze.
  9. NOTE:
  10. You can make this ahead of time and heat it up, everything EXCEPT the glaze, do that the last minute.
  11. Don't get too hung up about amounts just put it together, it all works!

 

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7 Comments Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: , , ,

Italian Sausage Roasted Together with Grapes

October 30, 2017 by 9 Comments

sausage with grapes

If you haven’t tried the combination of Italian sausage with roasted with grapes yet, I’m quite certain that the minute you do this combo it will win you over. The grapes break down in the roasting process, releasing their sweet juice and mingles together with the sausage flavors of spice, fennel, bit of olive oil and thyme.

When grapes are roasted they take on a whole different taste and texture, sweet goodness in every little bite.

sausage and grapes

I like to keep my sausage formed into a ring, it’s held in place by sticking one skewer in on one side until it pokes out on the other side, making sure to go all the way through each layer, this will keep it together as it cooks. I think a ring of sausage, or rope as it’s sometimes called adds to a pretty presentation, but you can certainly make this using links of sausage as well.

Which brings me to another point, make sure you only buy good quality Italian sausage, I get mine from an Italian market that I know and frequent often, it’s spiced perfectly with fennel seed being a very dominant flavor, my favorite. For this recipe you can use either spicy or mild sausage, which ever is your preference.

 

My grapes of choice are the red seedless kind ( you definitely want seedless) but you can also do a combination of both red and green, just carefully pick them off the stems, rinse and dry completely then you’re good to go!broccoli rabe

I love to serve this meal with sautéed broccoli rabe, the bitterness of the rabe with the sweetness of the grapes and the spice of the sausage is a win, win. For something a little more substantial, on a cold winters night a side of creamy polenta or mashed potatoes would be heavenly!

Incredibly easy to make, no chopping required, it’s a one pan wonder with a pretty presentation and the most important thing is, it tastes amazing.

Give it a try!

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5.0 from 2 reviews
Italian Sausage with Grapes
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Italian sausage, sweet or hot, good quality with fennel spice kept in a ring or rope style
  • red seedless grapes, 2 to 3 cups, stems removed, rinsed, dried and left whole
  • sprigs of thyme
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Skewer your rope of sausage together using 1 skewer through one end and out the other so it stays held together while cooking.
  3. Heat a 10 or 12 inch oven proof skillet, medium high, drizzled with a tiny bit of olive oil on the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add sausage ring and don't move it until it forms a nice deep golden color, then flip it over carefully and continue cooking for 1 minute.
  5. Remove from heat and sprinkle grapes around, be careful not to crowd them in because as they cook they release their juice and if you have too many it becomes too liquidy and all will not caramelize like it should. I would say a good rule of thumb is to leave some space between the placing of your grapes.
  6. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter some fresh thyme leaves around.
  7. Place the whole pan into the oven, uncovered to finish cooking the sausage, ( keep checking for doneness, it depends on thickness) during the process your grapes will wrinkle and begin to release their juices.

 

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9 Comments Filed Under: Fruit, Meats Tagged: , , , ,

Cassoulet- Italian Style

September 8, 2017 by 19 Comments

cassoulet

What is a cassoulet? It a dish originated in France which is basically a rich, slow cooked casserole typically made with white beans and a meat of some sort. It’s a hearty dish and quite perfect for the cooler temperatures we’re experiencing now as fall approaches.

In place of the more traditional meats the French would use, I wanted to make mine Italian style by adding some good quality Italian sausage. I chose one that is nicely spiced throughout with a good amount of fennel seed which I feel compliments all the other flavors in this dish.cassoulet beans

 

I have to admit I don’t often cook with dried beans, I like the convenience of canned beans and they taste pretty good. But after making this dish I realized that there is absolutely no comparison to the taste and texture of cooked dried beans to canned.

Even though you could make this dish with canned beans I HIGHLY recommend you go through the process of making them from scratch. Dried beans are readily available but this specific brand, Rancho Gordo might not be so easy to find, especially this type of bean, so I would suggest to order them directly from their website ( and I’m not getting paid to say that). soaked beans

I went with the quick soak method, it helps the beans to cook faster. I also love adding aromatics after they’ve been soaking and ready to simmer, the beans really do take on the flavor and makes them taste even more delicious.

cassoulet

The cooked beans will get tossed in at the last ten minutes of cooking, just enough time to soak up all that luscious tasting juice!

cassoulet

It’s hearty, packed with flavor, simple and rustic and the perfect meal to make when there’s a chill in the air, you will love this!

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5.0 from 2 reviews
Cassoulet- Italian Style
 
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Recipe adapted from Pam Anderson's Perfect One Dish Dinners
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1½ lb. Italian sausage with fennel seed or 6 nice size pieces
  • 3 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion cut into large chunks
  • 4 large garlic cloves, sliced
  • olive oil
  • thyme and rosemary
  • 4 cups of cooked dried beans preferred, or optional, canned beans
  • 1 lb. of dried beans, either cassoulet or cannellini
  • aromatics for beans to simmer in, such as onion, garlic and herbs
Instructions
  1. PREPARE BEANS, doing the the quick soak method.
  2. Rinse beans well and pick out any bad ones.
  3. Place them into a large pot and cover them with water three inches above the beans.
  4. Bring beans to a boil, turn off the flame and cover them and let them sit for 2 hours.
  5. After 2 hours you will see they have doubled in size, drain the water, return them to the pot and cover with water again.
  6. Add 3 whole garlic cloves, chunks of onion and a sprig of rosemary or thyme and simmer medium low for at least an hour but check for doneness, they should be tender and creamy.
  7. Add salt to taste after they're cooked.
  8. You'll have extra, but save and use for other recipes, (you won't regret it!)
  9. FOR THE CASSOULET
  10. Heat oven to 425F.
  11. In a deep baking dish drizzle the bottom with olive oil all over. Add the tomatoes, (whole), sliced garlic, onion and herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
  12. Nestle in your uncooked Italian sausage all around.
  13. Roast until sausages have a deep brown color and the tomatoes have released their juices and thickened up a bit, around 45 minutes.
  14. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in your cooked beans (without liquid) drizzle more olive oil on top and continue to roast for 10 more minutes until nicely heated through.
  15. Freshen up your herbs.
  16. Enjoy!

 

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19 Comments Filed Under: Beans, Fall, Meats Tagged: , , , ,

Stuffed Peppers Italian Style with Sausage and Mozzarella

July 26, 2016 by 20 Comments

melrose peppers Normally when you see a recipe for stuffed peppers you’ll see the bell shaped variety being used but I look forward to this time of year because a very special pepper starts to show up in Italian markets around Chicagoland, they’re called Melrose Peppers. I’ve done posts on them in the past like this one.

They came to be called Melrose peppers because as the story goes, many years ago a family from Calabria, Italy eventually settled into a suburb of Chicago called Melrose Pk. They brought with them the seeds of this very special, delicious thinned skinned pepper.They quickly became popular among gardeners in the Italian community and then soon after that they started appearing in all the fruit and vegetable stands, and the rest is history.

stuffing peppers Even though I’m featuring and stuffing my favorite Melrose peppers for this recipe, you can honestly use any type of elongated pepper such as a cubanelle or the sweet and long red pepper variety.

All you’re going to do is cut off the top then take a knife and make a slit down one side but not all the way, you still want the pepper to remain in tact, then just scoop out the seeds.

Then buy the best Italian sausage available, mine always has fennel and red pepper flakes for a little heat. If you can buy it in bulk go ahead, if not just remove it from the casing. Place it into a bowl then add a good amount of shredded mozzarella and mix well, that’s your stuffing!

stuffed peppers Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then drizzle all over with olive oil and place your peppers onto it after you stuff them with the mixture.

stuffed peppers Then it’s a quick drizzle all over the top, add salt and pepper and place them into a 400 degree oven for about half an hour, depending on what type of pepper you’re using.

stuffed peppers You’re aiming for soft and tender and of course the sausage being fully cooked as well as seeing the cheese has melt.

stuffed peppersstuffed peppers When you’re ready to serve spoon some warm marinara over the top and onto the serving plate.

stuffed peppers The flavor combination is divine, this is stuffed peppers at it’s finest!

stuffed peppers

Add some crusty bread with a nice green salad and dinner is served!

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20 Comments Filed Under: Chicago, Summer, Uncategorized, Vegetables Tagged: , , , ,

Sausage Bread

March 22, 2016 by 15 Comments

sausage and rapini

This recipe of sausage bread connects me to my childhood, I remember my mom use to make this for special holidays and special occasions, even picnics.

When I was a kid I thought making this was such a big ordeal, but when I got married and started making it on my own I realized just how simple it was to put together.

sausage bread ingredients

You can create many variations to this sausage bread but one thing for sure is that you want to use a good quality Italian sausage, I tend to go with a spicy version because I feel you need it and the dough calms down the spice anyway.

You definitely need some shredded mozzarella and a nice sharp grated pecorino romano cheese. I also like using something green, I’ve used chopped parsley, wilted and drained spinach and sautéed broccoli rabe using the tips only, but if you prefer not using anything green, that’s good too.

layering on dough

The other important thing is the dough, you need a good quality pizza dough, a one pound ball. I have to admit working with yeast is not my favorite thing to do, I use to be more enthusiastic when I was younger, now I avoid it at all costs, I’d rather go out and buy a good quality pizza dough which fortunately I have many sources that surround me, but if you love making your own dough please do so.

You roll out the dough in a nice big rectangle, then layer with all your delicious ingredients, it’s as easy as that!

rolled up dough

Then roll it up jelly roll style, pinch the bottom together and bake it seam side down.

baked bread

You can form it into a curve or just straight.

sausage breadsliced bread

Each slice is filled with so much flavor from the cheese and sausage filling.

rapini slicebread and sauce

I guarantee you’ll want some warm marinara for dipping!

 

sausage bread  Every time I make this I say I should have added some additional red pepper flakes or more grated romano, so don’t be afraid to spice it up!

sausage bread

This post has been updated in 2021, the picture above shows it made using  just parsley for the green, I have since enjoyed using sautéed broccoli rabe, tips only.

You won’t believe how something so simple to make can taste like a million bucks, I hope you try this special sausage bread!

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4.7 from 3 reviews
Sausage Bread
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ball of pizza dough, good quality store bought or homemade
  • 1 - ½ lb. of Italian sausage, casings removed if you like spicy use that
  • 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, do not use fresh mozzarella.
  • ¾ cup or so of grated romano cheese.
  • 1 cup of rapini,( broccoli rabe) tips only, sautéed til tender, or chopped parsley, or chopped spinach, cooked and drained
  • black pepper
  • olive oil
  • extra romano and a little mozzarella to top on rolled dough
  • marinara for dipping
Instructions
  1. Heat oven first to 400, bake for 15 minutes then reduce oven to 350 and finish baking until deep golden around 30 minutes more.
  2. Place a piece of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Have your dough at room temperature before rolling out.
  4. Brown sausage in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil, cooking until you see no pink, breaking up the pieces into crumbles, let it cool down and drain on paper towel.
  5. Roll your dough into a large rectangle, as big as you can get it.
  6. Scatter cooked sausage all over dough leaving a 1 inch border all the way around.
  7. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly all over sausage.
  8. Sprinkle grated cheese, evenly all over.
  9. Sprinkle chopped parsley, cooked rapini tips or cooked spinach all over.
  10. Grate black pepper on top of mixture, at this point you could add some additional red pepper flakes or more grated cheese, it's up to you, depending on the heat of your sausage.
  11. Start to roll the dough, jelly roll style, tucking in the ends as you're rolling so no leakage occurs while baking, pinching dough making sure it's sealed at the seams.
  12. Place large log or half moon shape unto a parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. ( make sure seam is pinched and sealed.)
  13. Brush top and sides with olive oil, grate some black pepper on top, a sprinkle of romano and a little shredded mozzarella here and there.
  14. Bake as stated above but ovens do vary.
  15. Remove from pan and place on a rack to cool so it doesn’t get soggy on the bottom from moisture.
  16. Let it rest before cutting into it so that the cheese sets, use a serrated knife to cut your slices.
  17. Serve as a appetizer, lunch with a salad or an addition to any special meal.
  18. Serve it with some warm marinara for dipping

 

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Corona Beans with Sausage

September 24, 2015 by 15 Comments

corona beans and sausage

Are you familiar with Corona beans? They’re a large white bean way bigger than cannellini, an old fashioned heirloom bean from Europe, Italy has a fondness for them. They’re big to begin with in the dry state but when you cook them they become huge, the picture doesn’t really show how big they get but I measured them to be about an inch and a quarter in their cooked state.

They have a nice creamy texture similar to a potato.

slow cooked corona beans

I picked up a bag at the Rancho Gordo store in the Ferry building in San Francisco last week on our vacation, it can be difficult to find Corona beans in the stores most of the time but online you should have no problem.

You will find many producers of these beans but Rancho Gordo is one of my favorites, In fact I love all their beans, and I’m not getting paid to say that!

I decided to go out and buy a new crock pot since I never used mine and gave it away to my daughter, I wanted to slow cook my Corona’s after I saw my friend Cathy make a pot of Greek Gigante beans, which is also a large white bean. She tossed all the ingredients into the crock pot including the dry beans, not pre-soaked, but dry.

I have to say I wouldn’t recommend tossing in dry Corona’s they took forever to cook and to reach that creamy point, it was close to twelve hours, so next time I would definitely pre- soak them overnight to get them started and reduce the simmering time, like I said these beans are huge and they’re not exactly the same type as the Gigante beans that Cathy used, so my recipe instructions will be slightly different than hers.

corona beans and sausage

This is my Italian version of pork and beans! Beans flavored with parmesan, garlic, onions, bacon, thyme, tomatoes and red pepper flakes then after they’re cooked, topped with a ring of the best Italian sausage you can buy, which will be pan seared and placed on top for serving. This is comfort food, stick to your ribs food, a welcome to fall!

corona beans and sausagecorona beans and sausage

You have to be patient, this isn’t a quick meal, you can make the beans the day before if you want either in the slow cooker or simmering on top of the stove, I guarantee your house will smell amazing and it’s definitely worth the wait!

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5.0 from 2 reviews
Corona Beans with Tomatoes, Bacon and Sausage
 
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Giant delicious white beans called Corona. Slow simmered until nice and creamy, comfort food all the way!
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Ingredients
  • 8 oz. dried Corona beans that have been soaked in water overnight for at least 8 hours, then drained
  • 3 oz. bacon, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes or squished whole tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 parmesan rinds
  • a small handful of fresh thyme sprigs
  • a big pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb. cooked, pan seared Italian sausage to serve on top of beans when finished cooking
Instructions
  1. Place every single ingredient into a heavy pot or crock pot, simmer low and slow for hours, soaking the beans overnight will shorten the time. The true test for doneness is to taste at least 5 beans because beans all cook at different times.
  2. They should not be hard or have a crunch to the bite but rather they should taste creamy and soft like a potato.
  3. They could take anywhere between 3 - 6 or more hours depending on how high your flame is or how fast your crock pot takes.
  4. Keep tasting for salt, and remember they blow up, and the liquid will absorb them.
  5. Remember they should reach the creamy point!
  6. Serve them in pan with curved sides topped with the pre-cooked sausage ring.

 

 

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15 Comments Filed Under: Beans, Fall, Winter Tagged: , , , ,

Lasagnetti with Crumbled Sausage, Asparagus and Zucchini Coins

March 5, 2013 by 21 Comments

lasagnetti pasta

I always gravitate towards the unique non traditional pasta shapes, when I see a shelf full of them I always have to grab a bag or two. My pantry is stocked with different shapes just waiting to be cooked up, so every now and then I will showcase one here on my blog.

Like these cute little lasagnetti which I recently found, they look like mini one inch square lasagne sheets. As far as what kind of sauce to serve with it, my first idea was to toss them into marinara and then dot the whole thing with fresh ricotta and a little romano, but I wanted something different this time and since fresh asparagus has been popping up all over in my area I used that as my inspiration to make this dish.

The combination of roasted zucchini coins, asparagus, medium spicy Italian sausage and sauteed grape tomatoes turned out to be the perfect flavor combination to grace my lasagnetti. Of course, any sturdy pasta shape would do, but if you’re interested my fellow Chicagoans, I got this pasta at Caputo’s.

If you’re looking for something a little different for your next dinner party I would suggest this dish, not only does it taste great it looks really nice spread out on a platter!

It’s fun to get out of your comfort zone every now and then!

Lasagnetti with Crumbled Sausage, Asparagus and Zucchini Coins
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 small yellow squash cut in ¼ inch slice
  • 3 small zucchini cut in ¼ inch slice
  • 1 lb. fresh asparagus cut diagonally
  • 12 or more grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 large shallot finely chopped
  • 1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
  • ½ cup each of white wine, chicken broth and pasta water
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb. of cooked lasagnetti or any sturdy pasta, reserve ½ cup pasta water
  • 1 cup of ricotta
  • fresh basil and grated romano for garnish
Instructions
  1. Roast zucchini coins and asparagus on a baking sheet drizzled in olive oil at 425 until golden brown.
  2. Saute the tomatoes in olive oil in a small skillet.
  3. Brown sausage in a skillet with the chopped shallot and garlic cloves, my sausage is very lean so I add a little olive oil when browning. When sausage is cooked through add in the wine, broth, ¼ cup olive oil and pasta water, this will be the base for your sauce.
  4. Toss everything into a large bowl coating the cooked pasta with the sauce, tossing with grated cheese, fresh snipped basil and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Place on a platter and dot with fresh ricotta and a drizzle more of olive oil if needed.
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SAUSAGE AND LENTIL SOUP!!

October 25, 2007 by 18 Comments

 

soup bowl
There’s something so comforting about a big pot of soup simmering on the stove on a cold day or when maybe you just need a little more comfort in your life. The first time that I  posted this recipe was way back in 2007 when I started my blog. It’s now the year 2020 with my updated pictures and to tell you that I’m still making this wonderful soup.
pot of soup
This lentil soup can easily become a vegetarian version by using a vegetable broth base and eliminating the sausage, and believe me it’s just as good!
It’s hearty and filling and you really don’t need to serve anything else with it, unless you have a weakness for warm, crusty bread with butter like I do.
soup pot
This lentil soup comes together quickly because it’s made with pantry ingredients, dried lentils that cook up quite fast and staples like carrot, onion and celery.
One ingredient that I think really enhances this soup is dried, ground fennel. If you have whole fennel seeds you can grind them down into a powdery consistency with a coffee grinder, put it in a little jar and save it.
Try it, I think you’ll love it, if not you can double up on the other spices, no problem! I always like to taste as I go along anyway I’m always adjusting for salt, pepper and spices.
Lentils tend to blow up a little and they really absorb flavors so don’t be shy, I’ll give you basic guidelines but make it your own.

lentil soup

Easy, hearty with delicious Italian flavors all throughout, this soup is a classic and will never ever go out of style!
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SAUSAGE AND LENTIL SOUP!!
 
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This recipe can easily become vegetarian, by eliminating the sausage and using veggie broth
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Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 cups dried, brown lentils, rinsed
  • ½ lb. Italian sausage, bulk, precooked so you no longer see any pink
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1- 14 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes, or chopped tomatoes
  • 1 quart broth, chicken or veggie + 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme, dried oregano and dried fennel
  • pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • grated Parmigiano or romano for garnish
  • NOTE; sometimes I add a few leaves of chopped swiss chard stirred into at the end but that is optional.
Instructions
  1. In a heavy bottomed pan drizzle with olive oil and add in the carrots, celery, garlic and onion.
  2. Toss in the cooked sausage.
  3. Saute til soft then sprinkle in all the spices mixing and coating everything well.
  4. Toss in the rinsed lentils, coating them with veggie mixture.
  5. Pour in the broth and water.
  6. Add the tomatoes.
  7. Bring it to a soft boil, then let it simmer until lentils soften.
  8. Taste for seasoning, adding more if needed.
  9. If lentils thicken the soup too much for you I always adjust with a little water or more broth to loosen it all, lentils tend to blow up.
  10. Feel free to double the recipe, it's that good!
  11. Garnish your bowl with a drizzle of olive oil on top and a sprinkling of grated cheese if you like.
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