Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes and Asparagus

~ Katy ~

  

I love pasta! When I was a kid and we had spaghetti, I’d always ask if I could have the sauce on the side so that I could eat my noodles with butter. Mmmmm. Unfortunately, they tell me white pasta isn’t good for me, so I don’t make it very often. I have yet to find a wheat version that tastes decent. Granted, I gave up the search about 5 years ago, so maybe things have improved since then. Let me know if you’ve found some whole grain pasta that’s as delicious as the original, and I’ll give it a go. I’d love to get back to eating pasta on a regular basis.

 

 

This recipe was adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada de Laurentiis.

 

 

Rigatoni with Sausage,

 

Artichokes and Asparagus

 

¾ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (reserve 2 tablespoons oil)

1 pound hot Italian sausage

2 (9-oz) packages frozen artichoke hearts (can used canned, instead)

1 small bunch asparagus (8 ounces), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 ¾ cups chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine

12 ounces rigatoni or other tubular pasta

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/3 cup chopped, fresh basil

¼ cup chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian Parsley)

8 ounces (about 1 ½ cups) fresh mozzarella, cubed (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Heat reserved oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a bowl. Add artichokes, asparagus and garlic to skillet, and sauté over medium heat until garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add broth, wine and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. (*NOTE: I like to add the asparagus later so that it doesn’t get overcooked)

 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

 

Add pasta and sausage to artichoke mixture. Toss until sauce is almost absorbed by pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, basil, parsley and mozzarella, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

 

Makes 6 servings.