Winter Pasta with Sausage Meatballs, Mushrooms and Walnuts
With sausage meatballs, toasted walnuts, caramelized mushrooms, shaved parmesan, and a touch of cream, this is THE perfect winter pasta recipe to take you through the next few months.
Winter Pasta with Sausage Meatballs, Mushrooms and Walnuts
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Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 oz. sweet Italian sausage
- extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. dried short cut pasta, such as farfalle or rigatoni
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, or chanterelles
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese
Instructions
- Remove the sausage from the casings, and form into small meatballs. In a skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the meatballs until browned, crisp, and cooked through. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package instructions, undercooking the pasta by 1-2 minutes. Drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, add another tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and add the sage. Once the sage is crisp, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and cook the mushrooms until caramelized, along with the fresh thyme. Add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the half and half, along with the pasta, meatballs, and parsley. If the sauce needs to be loosened up a bit, add a bit of the reserved pasta water until you reach the desired consistency. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the crispy sage, walnuts, and cheese. Serve!
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