Penne With Spinach Pesto And Turkey Sausage Recipes

BAKED PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH (OVEN OR CROCK-POT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Grease a deep lasagna pan (or two 9x9 pans). Crockpot instructions are at the bottom.
• SAUCE: In a large deep saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and saute slowly until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage to pan; continue to saute and break up sausage into bite size pieces. When sausage is just about done, add garlic for a minute or two. Finally, pour red wine into pan and bring wine to a boil to evaporate alcohol and eliminate most of the liquid.
• Add tomatoes to other ingredients. Pour about 1/2 cup water into the tomato can to clean out the can - add this water to the pot. Add pesto. While this simmers about 10 minutes, cook the pasta.
• PASTA: Bring plenty of salted water to boil for pasta (lots of water will prevent sticky pasta). Cook according to package directions; drain.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss hot cooked pasta, chopped fresh spinach and tomato/sausage sauce. DO NOT ADD CHEESE YET. Continue combining hot ingredients until spinach wilts slightly, THEN add cubed mozzarella and 1/2 CUP of the Parmesan cheese. Toss quickly and pour into your prepared baking dish (if you work with the cheese too long, it will become a stringy mess!).
• Sprinkle final 1/2 CUP Parmesan on top.
• Bake 375 for 30 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly.
• CROCKPOT VERSION FOR A CROWD: Double recipe. Make sure pasta is a bit undercooked (slightly firm). Pour into crockpot; add 1 cup hot water around the edges. Cook on HIGH 3 hours.

PENNE WITH SPINACH PESTO AND TURKEY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, combine 4 cups spinach, basil, lemon juice, 1/2 cup peas, and olive oil; process until combined. Pulse in cheese; season with salt and pepper. Using kitchen shears, snip sausage into 1-inch pieces. Drizzle with oil; roast on a rimmed baking sheet until undersides are brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip and push to one side. Lightly drizzle remaining 3 cups spinach with oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter evenly over other half of sheet; roast until sausage is cooked through and spinach is crisp, 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot; add pesto, sausage, remaining 1 cup peas, and pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, topped with crisped spinach, more cheese, and a drizzle of oil.

PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.
• Add in sausage and cook, breaking apart the meat, until lightly browned and no longer pink, 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the water, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then add in the pasta.
• Increase heat to high and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened, about 15-18 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, and cook until wilted.
• Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve.