Easy Penne with Italian Sausage in San Marzano Sauce
Easy Italian sausage penne pasta simmered in a savory San Marzano tomato sauce with garlic and fresh basil. Restaurant-quality pasta made easy at home!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian Sausage, sweet or mild removed from casings and crumbled) (removed from casings and crumbled)
- 1 lb Penne Pasta (cooked al dente according to package instructions)
- 1 cup Dry White wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon blanc is best)
- 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes (crushed by hand or chopped in pan with wooden spatula)5-6 cloves Garlic (sliced thin)
- 5-6 cloves Garlic (sliced thin)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 ½ cups Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano (Divided, to add to the skillet during cook and garnish prior to serving)
- 10 Fresh Basil leaves (torn or shredded)
- ¼ cup Pasta water ( a soup ladle full should do)
- Salt and Black Pepper (to taste)
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter:
Instructions
- Heat a large Non-Stick skillet (or skillet of your choice) and add the olive oil. Then add the sausage from the casings and cook until completely cooked through. Do not brown the sausage (about 5–7 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic directly to the skillet with the sausage. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let the garlic burn. (I prefer sliced vs chopped garlic for this dish)
- Pour in your wine and allow it to reduce by about half. This will prevent a watery sauce and as well allow the sausage to absorb the flavors of garlic and wine.
- Pour in the sauce from the can then hand crush the San Marzano tomatoes. You may additionally crush the larger pieces of tomato in pan using your spatula. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the sauce simmer gently for 8–10 minutes to let the flavors marry.
- Add whole or hand shredded Basil to the Sausage Penne Pasta sauce and give a few tosses.
- Lower the stovetop heat. Scatter the shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese evenly over the top of the entire skillet and carefully stir it into the sauce Place a lid or a sheet of foil over the skillet and let it sit for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and gooey. Now is the time to taste if more seasoning needed.
- Ladle in the starchy cooking water to the sauce just before you add the pasta.
- Add your cooked, tender penne pasta right into the skillet. Toss the pasta in that luxurious sauce you made thoroughly coating every noodle! You are now ready to give your delicious Sausage Penne pasta that restaurant quality look!
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the tablespoon or two of cold butter right from the fridge. Not what you may have sitting on the counter. toss the pasta or using the spatula fold the past in the sauce until the pasta shines. And serve.
