No such thing as too much pasta
Make this pasta tonight; you won't regret it 🌞
Almost exactly three years ago, I was let go from a brand-new job, partially because of the pandemic and partially because it just wasn’t a good fit. I had left my (relatively!) secure job of five years to try something new, and it backfired spectacularly. The day I received word that I was being let go also happened to be the day I went under contract on my very first home. I remained “employed” by the grace of a severance package, and we closed on our home the day my severance ended after a whirlwind process. It was nerve-wracking, to say the least.
Fast-forward a couple of months: the moving boxes were unpacked enough that I could fish out of a few pots and pans and bowls to make my very first dinner in my very first home. The first meal was a cathartic experience; so much stress and tension seemed to wash away. Maybe it’s just me, but–whether it’s a house or an apartment–the first home-cooked meal always feels like a way of signifying “I’m home.”
I made a simple pasta dish because pasta is always the right answer, no matter the question. It’s one I’ve visited several times since, and it remains one of my favorite pasta dinner recipes.
If you’ve had any stressful ordeals in your life or if you just need a pasta hug, this is the recipe to make. Trust me.
Fettuccine with Sausage and Leeks:
Servings: 5 | Cook time: 55 minutes
16 ounces fettuccine
2 teaspoons neutral frying oil
1 pound hot Italian sausage loose
1 shallot peeled and sliced
1 leek trimmed, washed, and sliced into half-moons
10 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed, scrubbed, and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup white wine or chicken stock
½ cup chicken stock
15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, more or less to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh parsley minced, plus more for serving
Start the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine until al dente. Remove 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water from the pot. Drain the pasta and set aside. *Note, if you time it right, the pasta should be done as the sauce finishes simmering. If possible, simply use a spider strainer to transfer the cooked pasta directly to the sauce.
Start the sauce:
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10-13 minutes until mostly cooked through and beginning to crisp up around the edges.
Add the sliced shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften. After the shallot softens, add the sliced leeks and cook an additional 5-6 minutes until it softens.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and begin to brown. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Simmer the sauce:
Melt the butter in the skillet. Once it is melted and frothy, add the white wine and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding more liquid (water or stock) as necessary if the sauce becomes too thick or sticks to the skillet.
Sauce the pasta:
Transfer the cooked fettuccine and the minced parsley to the skillet along with the reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat until the pasta is glossy and well-coated. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
Divide the cooked pasta between bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, if you like. Enjoy!
PLUS! A new vegan recipe!
P.S. I shared a new recipe for Miso-Glazed Asparagus over on Exploring Vegan! If you’re interested in receiving plant-based recipes sent to your inbox, subscribe by clicking the link below.