This is my version of a spicy Italian pasta. I am not one for going too heavy on the heat, but I like just enough to tell my tastebuds to wake up, but not so much to obliterate any other flavors. This recipe seems to strike that place for me. Enjoy!
Pasta alla Diavola
4 spicy Italian chicken sausages, sliced into 1″ pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can whole tomatoes, with juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 pound penne pasta, cooked al dente according to package instructions
In a large skillet, saute the sausage slices until nicely browned. Add the garlic, tomatoes/juice, and all the spices. Add the olives. Cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, while you prepare your pasta. Drain pasta and place in large bowl.
Add fresh basil to pasta sauce, stir to incorporate, then toss over pasta and mix well. Makes 4 servings.
Red pepper flakes are really hard to gauge when it comes to spiciness…one second its not spicy enough and the next you realize you can’t actually taste the dish that you prepared. Glad you found a happy medium, though. I love this pasta idea, kind of puttanesca-ish with some spice.
Yumm, can’t wait until this one shows up on Presto Pasta Nights.
Chicken sausage and pasta sounds amazing!