INGREDIENTS
16 ounces hot Italian sausage
1 cups tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1-16 oz package of pasta, use spaghetti or penne pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
DIRECTIONS
Slice sausages length-wise and remove sausage meat from their casings. Break sausage into fairly small pieces.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and saute sausage until it is done. This will take 8 to 10 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and basil. Stir and simmer over low heat for 7 minutes. Turn heat off and cover. The skillet will hold heat until pasta is done.
Cook pasta until al dente (just tender). This will take 8 to 12 minutes according to your taste. Use large slotted pasta spoon to remove from water and into the sausage-tomato sauce. Toss in skillet and serve. Garnish pasta with ricotta cheese.
Makes about 4 serviings.
Serve with broccoli salad. See recipe below.
Hint
*If you have children or someone who does not care for hot and spicy foods, you may want to use 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage and 8 ounces hot Italian sausage for less heat. Also have parmesan cheese on hand.
Broccoli Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 head broccoli florets
1 cup kidney beans, rinsed and drained
12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 small onion, thinly cut
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, sliced thin
Italian salad dressing
DIRECTIONS
Cut broccoli florets in halves and blanche in boiling water for 5 minutes. Immediately put into cold water to stop cooking and keep bright green color.
Mix all ingredients. Add Italian dressing, toss and serve.
Makes 4 salads.
