Because of the coronavirus and being quarantined for God know how much longer, I am being super diligent about cooking with ingredients that need to be used right now! I simply don’t want to go to the grocery store any more often than is absolutely necessary. Even though I was a really good girl this morning and learned how to make masks for us using Mr. Cs handkerchiefs and rubber bands. I still don’t want to leave the relative safety of our home for purchases that could be saved for a later date. I figure the more I stay away from people and places, the more likely I won’t either contract the disease or God forbid, unknowingly spread the disease to my fellow Camano Islanders. (And yes I know there is every likelihood that I will eventually contract the disease. I haven’t been burying my head under my pillow. I read the news and various articles daily. But I have confidence that in time the medical community will come up with a vaccine. And hopefully before that, ways to relieve symptoms and save lives. But for now, I am using the ingredients that I have on hand. Period!)   

The other evening I made stuffed green peppers and used half a pound of bulk Italian sausage from our freezer in the filling. Our local grocery store makes and sells bulk Italian sausage (really good BTW), but only by the pound. (See where I’m going with this?) So I decided to work up a recipe using the remaining half pound that kept calling to me every time I opened the refrigerator door. And because I love Italian food and it being Italian sausage after all, pasta immediately sprang to mind. (The greater question being, when doesn’t Italian food come to mind?) Anyway – I came up with this dish and we both enjoyed it. And it was very easy to prepare. Enough said.

I guess the main thing I want to leave you with, is that this is a perfect time to be inventive. Really delicious dishes often times come from what’s already in your fridge or freezer. And now more than ever, use what you have on hand. I’m not saying you should stop buying groceries. Our economy needs shoppers. But be wise about it. And please be kind. Don’t hoard. Chickens don’t stop laying eggs during a pandemic. Cows still need to be milked. And truck drivers are on the road every day of the week bringing products to our stores, including toilet paper. What the heck was that about anyway? Now chocolate, I could understand hoarding chocolate. But a paper product! Anyway, as always – peace and love to all. And of course – happy eating.

• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lb. bulk Italian sausage
• ¼ c. finely chopped onion
• 1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• pinch kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian brand)
• ¾ c. whole milk
• ⅓ c. chopped fresh basil, or more to taste
• ½ c. grated Parmesan, Pecorino-Romano, or Asiago cheese – plus more for passing
• ½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 6 oz. al dente pasta of choice*

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and break it apart with your spatula or a wooden spoon as it browns. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes or until nicely softened. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the diced tomatoes and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce has thickened a bit. Stir in the fresh basil and al dente pasta. (Use a bit of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Add pasta water a tablespoon at a time.) Remove from heat and stir in both cheeses. Serve immediately. Pass additional cheese as garnish.

*As always, the success of most hot pasta dishes is in the quality of the pasta. Not necessarily the brand, but more how the pasta is cooked and when the pasta is added to the sauce.

My number one pasta rule: Never make the pasta wait for the sauce to finish cooking. If anything, the sauce can wait for the perfectly cooked al dente pasta to be added right at the last minute.

I love bulk Italian sausage. That’s why you will find it featured in several dishes on this site. It’s relatively inexpensive and the flavor just can’t be beat when it comes to a pasta recipe like this one. I’m even considering creating my own mix of herbs, spices, vegetables, and meats to help me better maintain control of the quality of ingredients used in the process of making Italian sausage. (I’ll publish the results if and when I figure it out!) But for now, I’m going to stick with the bulk sausage that is always available at our local IGA. Because, it’s affordable and dependably good. And they use enough fennel seed, which in my opinion should always be of utmost importance. But back to this recipe.

We were hungry for pasta the other evening, but I was short on time. So I threw this dish together and we both agreed that it was blog worthy. Now if you are new to this site, you need to know that I am picky about food. Not picky when it comes to trying new dishes, but picky about whether or not I would enjoy eating any new preparation again. If I have any doubts, you never hear about the recipe. If you find the recipe on this site, it’s because I look forward to eating the dish again. Of course as Mr. C. often remarks to friends, with me always trying new recipes, he may never have a new dish he loves prepared for him again. But such is the life of any spouse married to a recipe developer. With time he has learned to adapt. And starvation has never been a worry. But in all honesty, he will get a chance to enjoy this dish again because I truly loved it too. And it was easy to prepare.

So if you too would enjoy an easy to fix, relatively inexpensive new take on spaghetti in a creamy, meaty sauce, give this recipe a try. Make a simple salad to go with the pasta, open a nice bottle of wine, light a couple of candles, and sit back and enjoy the flavors all of us associate with lovely days and nights spent in a sunny clime. Cheers to Italy and all the flavors it has brought us. And cheers to you for all you do in the kitchen for your loved ones. Love and peace to all.

• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
• ½ onion, finely chopped  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. flour
• ½ c. white wine
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juices (preferably Italian canned tomatoes)
• 2 T. tomato paste
• ½ c. whipping cream
• 8 lg. basil leaves, sliced (chiffonade*) 
• 8 oz. al dente spaghetti (reserve some of the cooking water)  
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large covered pan. Add the sausage and cook until brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onion and cook until soft. Don’t let the onion brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the oregano, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, a smidge of black pepper, and sugar.

Whisk in the flour and let burble for a couple of minutes. Whisk in the wine. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover the pan and gently simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the whipping cream and cooked sausage. Adjust seasoning. Bring back to just under a boil. Just prior to serving, add the basil chiffonade and al dente pasta. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

*Chiffonade (pronounced “shif-oh-nod”) is a knife technique used for cutting herbs and leafy vegetables such as lettuce into thin strips or ribbons. To chiffonade leaves of basil, stack the basil leaves and roll them into a tube. Then carefully cut across the end of the tube with a sharp knife to produce fine strips.

Of course you already know that I am a pasta fanatic. And in all honesty, this casserole is one of the reasons why I can’t seem to stay away from any type of dish that consists of a sauce and various other accoutrements that surround shaped and boiled semolina flour and water. This casserole has everything I find necessary to fulfill my “must have pasta” need. It has meat, veggies, cheese, and a killer cream sauce. When combined, it is just a fantastic amalgamation of flavors. And it’s pretty too!

So next time you’re in the mood for pasta, and especially when you have a small army to feed, make this dish. Now, I’m not going to tell you that it‘s a quick dish to prepare. Because it does take some dedicated kitchen time. But I will say that it’s an easy recipe to follow, and not too expensive compared to a lot of lasagna type recipes that call for vast amounts of expensive cheese. Plus it’s a lovely change from a tomato sauce based pasta dish. And, this pasta can be made well ahead and kept in your refrigerator until needed.

So everything considered, it’s a great dish to have in your special treat and company repertoire.

So give it a try. What’s to lose? Well for sure it’s not weight! Because this definitely is not a low calorie casserole. But then, I’ve never enjoyed a low calorie casserole in my life, so what would I know about how to create one? Never mind – just enjoy!

• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. fresh button mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ tsp. oregano
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T. minced fresh parsley
• 10 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped
• ½ c. unsalted butter
• 6 T. flour
• 2 c. milk
• ¼ c. dry white wine
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. beef base
• 1½  c. dry penne pasta, cooked al dente
• 2 c. grated Mozzarella cheese
• paprika

Heat olive oil in a large fry pan. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned. Add onion and mushrooms. Fry until the onion starts to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, parsley, and spinach. Remove pan from heat. In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Let cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually add the milk. Cook over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the white wine, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, and beef base. Add to the sausage mixture, along with the cooked pasta. Adjust seasoning. Scoop into a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan or casserole dish. Top with Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese topping has melted and started to brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily. It can also be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until about 2 hours before you need to pop it in the oven. Letting the casserole come to room temperature before heating allows all the ingredients to warm more evenly.