Delicious and easy Italian sausage pasta with tons of flavour from the addition of sun dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers. Finished with a generous sprinkling of Pecorino cheese.
8ozshort pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, fusilli or rotini
Salt for pasta cooking water
Sausage Tomato Sauce:
1teaspoonolive oil
3linksItalian sausage, mild or hot or a mix of both
2clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
Pinchred pepper flakes, omit if using hot sausage
28ozcanned whole tomatoes, San Marzano recommended, hand-crushed*
1/3cupsun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, chopped
1/3cuproasted red pepper, jarred, drained and chopped
1/4cupfresh basil, chopped or 2 tsp-ish dried basil
2teaspoonsfresh oregano, chopped or 1/2 tsp-ish dried oregano leaves
1/2Tablespoonbutter, optional, to finish sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For serving:
Additional chopped fresh basil
Freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
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Instructions
Start a large pot of water salted water boiling for the pasta.
Cut the sausage links into 1/2-inch slices. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the sliced sausage pieces and cook, stirring, until cooked through and well browned. While sausage is cooking, slice up your garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and basil.
When pasta water is boiling, add dried pasta and cook to al dente.
When sausage is nicely browned, add garlic and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute more or until garlic is softened. Add the hand-crushed canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers and stir to combine. Add the fresh or dried herbs and a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer the sauce at least 10 minutes. Stir in the 1/2 Tbsp butter, if using. Reduce heat under sauce to low to keep warm until pasta is ready, if necessary.
When pasta is cooked, increase the heat under the sauce to medium. Spoon pasta from the cooking water with a spider strainer or slotted spoon (let it drain well back into the pot!) and add hot pasta right into the hot sauce. Cook the pasta with the sauce for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste sauce and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve garnished with grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese and some more freshly chopped basil.
Notes
*To handcrush canned whole tomatoes, simply empty them into a large bowl and use your hand to squeeze the whole tomatoes to break them up. Be sure to keep your hand low to the bowl and point them away from you as you do this, as they tend to squirt seeds haphazardly.Leftover sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers? Try my fabulous Italian pasta salad!Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, where I share more detailed tips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!