Gemelli with Sweet Sausage and Spinach

Gemelli with Sweet Sausage and Spinach


Michelle (MMmom)

Serves: 4

• 3/4 pound gemelli, penne, or rotini
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach (used 2 c frozen, thawed first)
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I tossed in a few more)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gemelli until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over med. high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and crushed red pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon, until no trace of pink remains. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook just until softened.

Add the gemelli and Parmesan cheese to the pan. Add reserved cooking water as needed. Cook over moderate heat, lightly crushing the tomatoes, until heated through. Season with salt and serve. Add additional Parmesan cheese to each serving if desired.

**I added a diced red pepper before the spinach (would've added yellow and orange, but got distracted and had no time to chop the rest up!)

I also served it with penne because it's what I had. DH ate it with spaghetti because he refuses other kinds of paste :)

[from Improvingmama]