Sausage and Pesto Pasta

17 min · 4 servings · easy · Italian-American

Ingredients

Pasta

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) fresh Italian sausage, casings removed
• 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced; or broccolini, spinach or peppers
• 1 lb (450 g) tagliatelle or fettuccine
• salt, for the pasta water and to taste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• black pepper, to taste

Pesto

• 1 cup packed fresh parsley
• 2 cups packed fresh basil
• 1 lemon, zest of whole lemon, juice of half
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1/3 cup almonds, or walnuts or pine nuts
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup pasta water, plus more for tossing

Method

1. Start
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
3. Brown the sausage
4. Heat olive oil in a wide, high-sided saute pan over medium heat. Slit the sausages, remove the casings and add the meat in small pieces; cook until rendered and browned, breaking it up.
5. Add the sliced mushrooms (or other vegetables) and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked down with brown bits on the pan bottom, then reduce to medium-low.
6. Cook the pasta
7. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente per package directions, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
8. Make the pesto
9. In a food processor, combine parsley, basil, lemon zest, juice of half the lemon, garlic and almonds; pulse, then stream in the olive oil and a splash of pasta water until a loose, smooth paste forms.
10. Combine
11. Scrape the pesto into the sausage pan and cook about 30 seconds, stirring up the browned bits.
12. Transfer the pasta straight into the pan with tongs, rinse the food processor with a little pasta water and add it, and toss to coat.
13. Finish
14. Add grated Parmesan, salt, pepper and a bit more pasta water; toss and cook 30 seconds until creamy and glossy, then serve.

Tips

• Use any vegetables you have on hand, such as broccolini, spinach or peppers, in place of mushrooms.
• Walnuts are a great stand-in for pricey pine nuts since they're oilier; almonds also work.
• Using pasta water instead of lots of oil lightens the pesto and helps it emulsify into a creamy sauce.
• A wide, high-sided saute pan lets you toss the pasta without spilling.
• For a brighter, darker green pesto, keep it cool: use cold water or ice instead of hot pasta water and avoid overheating it in the pan.
• Quantities weren't given in the video; amounts listed are standard estimates for 4 servings.