Sausage, zucchini and mushroom pasta

Name: Sausage, zucchini and mushroom pasta
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients: 1 zucchini, 1/2 cm thick and quartered; 4-6 large button mushrooms, sliced thinly; 1 shallot, sliced thinly; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 375 g Italian sausage without casings; 400 g dried pasta (I used spaghetti); 1 cup dry white wine; 1/2 cup heavy cream

Robert Gonzal @robert

Vancouver BC

Pasta's great isn't it? It's fast, it's delicious, and it's the perfect meal to improvise whenever your original plan goes sideways. Like it did tonight, for me, when the mince I was defrosting for a pepper stuffing didn't thaw in time. Fortunately, there were mushrooms and a zucchini in the fridge, and all that was needed to transform them into a delicious dinner was a quick hop to the supermarket to pick up a little sausage and cream. In the end, despite being Plan B, the dish turned out wonderful. Meaty and rich from the sausage and mushrooms, with pops of juicy sweetness from the zucchini, and a splash of silky cream to bring it all together. It was pretty much perfect.

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Ingredients

20 minutes

3 servings

1 zucchini, 1/2 cm thick and quartered
4-6 large button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 shallot, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped
375 g Italian sausage without casings
400 g dried pasta (I used spaghetti)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cooking Instructions

1

Add a splash of veg oil to a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and let fry for 3 or 4 minutes until the zucchini is browned but still a little firm. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, then remove the zucchini to a plate.
2

Add the mushrooms to the pan and fry until they release their water and start to brown, about 2 or 3 minutes. Again, season them lightly then remove them to the same plate as the zucchini.
3

Add the shallot to the pan. Let fry 1 minute, then add the garlic and crumble in the sausage. If you're using links, peel off the sausage casings first. Let fry for about 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked and starting to caramelize. If the sausage gives off a lot of oil, remove the excess. You only need a couple of tbsps in the pan. While you're doing this, get the pasta started by dropping the noodles into a large pot of boiling salted water.
4

Add the wine to the pan. Simmer until the liquid bubbles off and the meat starts frying again. Your noodles should be just about ready by this time, so finish the sauce with a splash of cream and seasoning as required. Drag the noodles into the sauce. Throw in the zucchini and mushrooms and toss to coat. If the pasta seems tight, add a splash or two of the pasta cooking water. Serve immediately.