Winter Pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage Meatballs, Walnuts & Crispy Sage

• Meat

  • 8 oz Sweet italian sausage

• Produce

  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 lb Mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh
  • 1/4 cup Sage, fresh leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Thyme, fresh leaves

• Pasta & Grains

  • 8 oz Short cut pasta, dried

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1 Olive oil, Extra Virgin

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1/2 cup Walnuts, toasted

• Dairy

  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1/2 cup Half and half or heavy cream
  • 1 Parmesan or romano cheese

Found on thewoksoflife.com

Description

Ingredients

• 8 oz. sweet Italian sausage
• extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. dried short cut pasta, such as farfalle or rigatoni
• ¼ cup fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 lb mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, or chanterelles
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup half and half or heavy cream
• ½ cup toasted walnuts
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• shaved parmesan or romano cheese

Directions

• Remove the sausage from the casings, and form into small meatballs. In a skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the meatballs until browned, crisp, and cooked through. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package instructions, undercooking the pasta by 1-2 minutes. Drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, add another tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and add the sage. Once the sage is crisp, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and cook the mushrooms until caramelized, along with the fresh thyme. Add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the half and half, along with the pasta, meatballs, and parsley. If the sauce needs to be loosened up a bit, add a bit of the reserved pasta water until you reach the desired consistency. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the crispy sage, walnuts, and cheese. Serve!