Pasta Arabiata with Sausage

This sauce recipe is awesome!  It tastes like something you would get in a restaurant.  The original recipe calls for cooking the sauce for 4 minutes, but I like the flavors when the sauce is simmered for a longer period of time…it’s richer and bolder.  But if time is short, you can certainly cook the sauce for a short time and it still will be delicious.

I added zucchini to the sauce and it was delicious.  It was a great way to get more veggies, and it gave the sauce great body and flavor.
The other thing I like about this recipe is how the cook the sausage.  It’s broiled, which is brilliant, because it’s a very low fat no fuss way to prepare sausage.

Adapted from a recipe in the April 2010 issue of Cooking Light.
Ingredients:

• 1 package of sweet Italian turkey sausage links
• 1 box of spaghetti
• 2 small to medium size zucchini
• 2 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes, undrained
• 4 TBSP olive oil
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 10 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press or minced
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. torn fresh basil
• Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:

1. Place zucchini in a food processor; process until roughly chopped.  Add tomatoes to the zucchini and process until almost smooth.
2. Heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add crushed red pepper and pressed garlic; saute for 1 minute.  Stir in zucchini and tomato mixture, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes.  If you can cook the sauce longer you won’t regret it.  It gets thick and rich…I let mine simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile preheat broiler.  Arrange sausage on a baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray.  Broil sausage for 5 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove and slice in 1/4 inch thick slices.
4. Cook pasta according to directions.
5. Place pasta in a large bowl; toss with sauce and sausage; add basil and pecorino.

Pasta Arabiata with Sausage: