Pasta is Everyday Food!

I love pasta - from spaghetti to gemelli to ravioli - I love it all. I also enjoy how you can pretty much make a pasta sauce out of anything. For example, the ratatouille from my first post is often pureed at our house and served over pasta with freshly grated cheese. Below are two pasta recipes that we've enjoyed this month. The first was inspired by leftover sausage, and the second by a craving for bacon. Enjoy!

Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
6 oz mild Italian sausage, removed from casings*
4 oz shittake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 tbsp red wine
1 -28 oz tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz fusilli pasta
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Saute garlic, onion and sausage in olive oil over medium high heat for approximately 3 minutes, until sausage loses pinkness. Add mushrooms and saute until slightly limp, approx 2 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes and oregano, bring to a boil and simmer approximately 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with cooked pasta and parsley.

* If using leftover grilled sausage, cut into small dice and add AFTER the garlic and onion is sauteed.

Easy Spaghetti Carbonara

8 slices bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise
1 pound spaghetti (or shell pasta for kids)
3 large eggs
3/4 grated parmesan cheese (I have used Kraft and it works fine)
1/2 c half-and-half or evaporated milk

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Cook pasta to al dente. While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, parmesan half-and-half or milk. Set aside. Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Quickly add hot pasta to the egg mixture. Add the bacon, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese.

NB The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs!