Recipe: FETTUCCINE WITH CREAMY TOMATO AND SAUSAGE SAUCE | Idaho Statesman

It's not health food, by any means. But this pasta dish is always a winner and is easy to throw together for a last-minute dinner party. It comes from Epicurious.com and was originally published in Bon Appetit magazine in December 2000.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 shallots, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 lb. sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

1 cup whipping cream

2 cans (14.5 oz. each) diced tomatoes in juice with Italian seasonings

1 tablespoon dried sage

½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

¾lb. fettuccine

½cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute until beginning to soften, about three minutes. Add sausages and saute until no longer pink, breaking up with back of fork, about five minutes. Add cream; simmer five minutes. Add tomatoes with juices, sage and crushed red pepper. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid.

Return pasta to same pot; add sauce. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid by ¼ cupfuls if mixture is dry. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with cheese and serve.