February's Recipe: Hot Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta

photo from Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry fettuccine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 4 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1 pint red or yellow cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1 cup arugula, torn
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the sausage and cook about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to crumble it.

4. Add the tomatoes and cook until the skins burst, about 8 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, salt, and pepper.

5. Add the cooked fettuccine, basil, and arugula and toss gently to combine. Serve in bowls and top with the Parmesan.

One of my oldest and dearest friends Ange and I decided that we were going to find a day once a month to spend time together.  My husband had recently found a video tape that Ange and I had made when we were 13 of us dancing, making up talk shows, and just being silly so I invited her for dinner and to watch the tape.  I have to admit that morning, I was feeling very uninspired on what to cook that night for my NEW recipe.  I flipped through cookbooks and magazines and just wasn't feeling anything.  I decided to do a broad search on google for pasta recipes and I fell upon this from Real Simple Magazine. It actually was in a section labeled 40 great pasta recipes.  It was cold and rainy off and on that day and I felt like something comforting that night for dinner and something that would go great with a couple bottles of wine I had bought in Temecula a few weeks back. This recipe was perfect! I was so impressed that these few simple ingredients cooked together to be this rich flavorful sauce.  It was simple to make and tasted like it had been simmering in a pot all day.  The taste was so rich and flavorful but it wasn't heavy, which I liked. I served it with french bread and a simple salad and it paired perfect with all the wine.  We had such a fun time that night drinking, eating and laughing till our stomachs hurt! I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful friend to walk through life with.  This recipe is perfect for dinner with friends and I can't wait to make it again.  Hope you enjoy!