Recipe: Vegetables and Sausage with Pasta

As I mentioned in the post for Spicy Chicken Soup for When You're Ill (previously known as Sick Soup) I've been a bit under the weather lately.  This has resulted in my not cooking nearly as often as I'd planned to when I did my weekly food shopping.  I do feel bad about that, as I really do love to cook and I've got a lot of food now crammed into my refrigerator.  Thursday was a beautiful day here in Boston - warm, sunny, dry and perfect.  I had planned to make a mixed vegetable tagine, but it seemed almost shameful to make the meal entirely indoors.  I'd picked up some hot Italian chicken sausage for another dish (since scrapped) and I needed to use it anyway.  I therefore decided that we would have something else, and this is what I threw together. 

This is a really forgiving, versatile recipe.  The vegetables were what I had on hand, but if you have something else on hand go ahead and use it.  If you want more carbs, use more pasta.  If you want a vegetarian option, go ahead and substitute a fourth vegetable for the sausage.  (You could probably use a faux, soy-based sausage; I'm not a fan, but if you've got a brand you like go ahead.  And please share the brand!)  No white wine?  Use something else - even just water, although broth would be better.  If you don't have a barbeque, cut up the sausages ahead of time and cook them in the skillet before adding the veggies.  Go ahead and substitute different herbs, or use fresh.  I used canned tomatoes because some of the fresh tomatoes I had went bad before I got to use them, but fresh would be better. The main things to keep in mind is to not overcook the vegetables. 

Vegetables and Sausage with Pasta (serves 4, approx. $3.04/serving)

1 package (around 12 oz) hot Italian chicken sausage

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons minced jarred garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

2 small zucchini, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup white wine

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1 oz (more or less) freshly grated peccorino pepato

8 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked and drained.

Equipment

• Barbeque
• Skillet

1. Heat your grill and grill up the sausages.  They'll probably be the pre-cooked variety, so they won't need to cook for all that long but you don't want to take any chances. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.  Heat the oil in a large skillet.
3. Add the onion, garlic and herbs.  Cook until soft.
4. Add the pepper and zucchini.  Reduce the heat to medium. 
5. Add the white wine.  Cook until the zucchini are tender, but not mushy.
6. When the sausage is ready, allow it to cool until you can touch it.  Cut it into bite-sized pieces and put it in a serving bowl.
7. Add the pasta to the serving bowl.
8. Add the drained diced tomatoes to the skillet and allow to heat through.
9. Pour the contents of the skillet into the serving bowl and mix very well.
10. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

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