Recipe Background
Maria's Quick Pasta pairs creamy rigatoni with sausage and basil for an impressive, speedy meal.
Years ago, I found myself nervously preparing for a big lunch with someone I deeply admired in the culinary world. This wasn't just any lunch; it was with a chef I'd long followed, and a twist of fate—thanks to a smudged reservation book at our local Italian café—had us meeting in my modest kitchen instead. I remember looking at the clock, seeing only an hour to whip up something memorable. With thoughts racing, I spotted a package of rigatoni and some Italian sausage in my fridge. It clicked: a quick pasta dish would be my savior. That day, the aroma of sizzling sausage mingling with garlic and diced onion carried my culinary dreams as I sautéed away in my little kitchen.
Adding a heavy splash of cream felt risky and luxurious at once—just like this unexpected opportunity. What a delight to see the sauce coat each rigatoni piece with creamy richness as Parmesan melted lovingly into the mix. The beautiful part about this dish is how a little of the reserved pasta water can make your sauce sing, coaxing it to the perfect silky consistency. Chef tapped into this wisdom, nodding in approval as I tossed everything together with a generous handful of fresh basil and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a hint of warmth. In that moment, amidst laughter and shared stories over a meal I created under pressure, I realized how simple ingredients combined with care could impress the most seasoned of critics. That afternoon became a turning point in my culinary journey.
Served warm and speckled with extra Parmesan, this pasta dish became known as my secret weapon for last-minute hosting. It's an inviting, flavorful tribute to spontaneous creativity and a reminder that sometimes the best memories are those made in delightful haste.
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package rigatoni penne, or rotini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot, ground or links with casings removed
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes optional, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, plus more, to taste, shredded, for serving
- 1/2 cup fresh basil optional, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, add the pasta and cook it to al dente, according to the package directions.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the remainder. Set the pasta aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
- Add the Italian sausage to the hot oil and cook, while crumbling the meat, until it is browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the onions, the garlic, the salt, the black pepper, and the red pepper flakes to the ground sausage and stir to combine.
- Cook the sausage mixture, while stirring, until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the heavy cream to the sausage mixture and stir to combine.
- Allow the cream mixture to heat until it is just simmering.
- Add 1 cup of the parmesan cheese to the cream mixture and stir until melted.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce mixture and toss until the pasta is fully coated.
- If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. You may not need all or any of the pasta water.
- Cook the pasta mixture until it is heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Top with the basil and the extra parmesan and serve.
×