Fresh and bright with the late summer bounty, this recipe is a family favorite. In the Wilson household, I often add 5 links of sweet or hot Italian turkey or pork sausage and serve with arugula or Caesar salad.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pints Santa Sweet or baby tomatoes, cut into 2 or 3 slices each
- 5 oz shiitake or portobello mushrooms, sliced
- ½ red sweet onion, sliced thinly
- 6 oz chicken or veggie broth
- ⅔ stick butter
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil, torn into pieces
- 12 oz box penne, or similar shaped pasta
- Salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- Olive oil as needed
- Optional: for a meaty version, add 5 links sweet or spicy turkey or pork sausage (casings removed)
DIRECTIONS:
- If you’re adding in sausage, crumble and cook in a sauté pan in butter or olive oil until done, then remove from heat.
- In a separate skillet, toast pine nuts with a little salt and olive oil until slightly browned. Remove from heat.
- Bring pot of water with olive oil and salt to boil. Cook the pasta.
- In same sausage sauté pan, lightly sauté garlic and onion in a little of the butter or olive oil until soft.
- Add in mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in sliced up tomatoes with salt and pepper and cook for two minutes.
- Add in chicken broth, remaining butter, parmesan, chopped spinach, sausage (if including) and fresh basil. Let simmer while pasta finishes cooking.
- Scoop penne onto plates and toss with sauce.
- Sprinkle toasted pine nuts on top and serve.