Italian Sausage Fusilli Recipes

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT FUSILLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, or 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Meanwhile, toss the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in a colander; allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then squeeze out the excess moisture. Dry well on a paper towel-lined tray.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large straight-sided pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Push the sausage off to one side, add the eggplant and cook without stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir together the eggplant and sausage and continue to cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shallots and garlic; cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring often and breaking up the tomatoes.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and sprinkle the Parmesan and provolone on the bare pasta. Using two wooden spoons, toss to combine until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta.

SPICY SAUSAGE FUSILLI

Steps:

• Crumble the chillies into a pestle and mortar, then bash with the fennel seeds until coarsely crushed. Put to one side.
• Heat a lug of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins or add the pork mince to the pan, really breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Fry for a few minutes, or until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then push it down once more so it resembles coarse mince.
• Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelised.
• Stir in the oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Finely grate over the zest of 1 lemon, then squeeze over the juice and turn the heat down to low.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions.
• When the pasta has cooked but still has a bit of bite, drain it in a colander, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the meat pan, then toss to coat in all those lovely flavours, loosening with a good splash of the reserved cooking water, if needed.
• Grate in the Parmesan, then pick, roughly chop and add the parsley leaves. Taste and check the seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.
• Jamie's top tip Remember to buy the best sausages you can afford - if you get cheap, dodgy sausages it just won't work.

PAULA DEEN'S BAKED FUSILLI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees; lightly grease a 4-quart casserole dish.
• In medium skillet over medium-low heat, cook sausage until well done.
• Remove from pan and set aside.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and shallots, and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.
• Add mushrooms and black olives and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• In large bowl, whisk together spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and eggs.
• Stir in diced tomatoes, salt, basil, oregano and Italian seasoning.
• Layer half of pasta, half of mushroom mixture, half of sauce mixture and half of cheese into prepared casserole dish.
• Repeat layers, ending with cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

PROPER BLOKES' SAUSAGE FUSILLI

Steps:

• Bash up the fennel seeds and chillies in a pestle and mortar or Flavor Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to color and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.
• Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the package instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavors then add the butter, Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

FUSILLI WITH SAUSAGE AND OYSTER MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Bring a shallow pot of water to a boil and season heavily with salt. Add the pasta to the water and begin to cook.
• Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat half of the olive oil over medium heat along with the sausage and cook, breaking apart the meat into smaller pieces, until browned. Add the garlic, pepperoncini and tomato paste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes longer.
• Using a spider or slotted spoon, strain the pasta directly into the mushroom mixture. Add about 1/2 cup pasta water and the white wine and bring to a simmer. When the pasta begins to get coated and the sauce begins to thicken, add the Parmesan, butter and rosemary and turn off the heat. Stir the mixture until thickened. If too thick, add a splash of pasta water. Season to taste. Divide among bowls and garnish with Pecorino-Romano and torn basil leaves.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH FUSILLI

Steps:

• In a medium non-stick pan over high heat, brown the sausages in one tablespoon olive oil; set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium and sweat the onions& garlic in the remaining oil two minutes.
• While onions& garlic are cooking, slice the sausages into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Add the tomatoes, red pepper, chili flakes, sugar, oregano and sausages to the pan and simmer covered until the red peppers soften (about 10 minutes).
• Cook the fusilli according to package instructions.
• Drain well and place into bowls, cover with sauce.
• Top with freshly chopped parsley and/or freshly grated cheese.

FUSILLI WITH SAUSAGE, ARTICHOKES, AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

FUSILLI WITH GRAPE TOMATOES AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Remove grape tomatoes from pouch and cut in half; set aside.
• Saute garlic and cooked sausage in olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is softened. Add salad blend and tomatoes; saute 3 to 4 minutes longer or until salad blend starts to wilt.
• Add cooked pasta and broth; cook, stirring until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.