From: Mr Rufus Faloofus
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 22:27:12 -0500
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Italian Sausage Frenzy
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1 package Italian sausage
8oz mushrooms
1 large green pepper
1 fairly large yellow onion (bigger than a baseball, smaller
than a softball)
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch Italian/flat-leaf parsley (regular parsley will work;
just use less)
2 tbsp shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1lb package small curly pasta
red pepper flakes (to taste)
Italian sausage is generally available in 2 sorts: sweet and hot.
Either will work for this recipe; it just depends on what is available
or to your tastes. If you use sweet, you'll probably want to add more
of the red pepper flakes, and also some ground black pepper. The unit
of measurement here ("a package") is imprecise: generally it'll be
4-6 links, somewhere between 14oz and 18oz.
Also, the pasta options are many. My personal favorite is "gemelli" by
Del Verde, but that's not available everyplace. All sorts of things
will work: fusili, rotini, wagon-wheels, bow-ties. The point is to have
small pasta with lots of surface area.
With mushrooms, too, there are options. Plain, basic mushrooms are fine.
Cremini or the so-called "baby bella" are nice, and a little more
visually appealing. I think full-size portabellas would be overkill,
but they'd work (you'd just need to cut them up more).
Start a big tub of salted water boiling. While that is heating, mince
the garlic (use more or less, depending on taste: I like lots of garlic).
Quarter the mushrooms (large ones may need cutting into sixths or even
eighths). Slice the onion (radially, not into rings). Also the green
pepper (into squares about 3/4" on a side).
Heat a large skillet, and add the olive oil. Remove the sausage from the
casing and add it. Break it up as it browns, until you have little
pieces about 3/4" in size. When it is cooked remove it from the pan,
using a spatula or slotted spoon, so the oil stays in. Add the onions
and the garlic. When they are browned add the mushrooms and stir.
After 1 minute, turn off the heat, and reintroduce the sausage.
Cook the pasta, remove from the water, and place in a big bowl. Add
the onions, garlic, sausage, and mushrooms. Spread the green pepper
on top. Chop up some parsley and sprinkle it over, along with the
shredded cheese, if desired. You are done. Serve with a nice red
wine. A red Rioja is nice, or a sangiovese.
--Foofus
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