The ideal holiday dinner party is low on stress and high on impact, and this recipe for sausage and mascarpone pasta delivers. With a comforting mix of flavors and textures, it’s the perfect meal for a cold winter night with friends. Light some candles, pour some wine, and dip some bread in oil. Life is good.
SAUSAGE AND MASCARPONE PASTA WITH OREGANO CRUMB
Oregano breadcrumbs
2 thick slices sourdough, blitzed in a food processor
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder Fresh black pepper, to taste
Stir together the chopped fresh oregano and 3 tablespoons olive oil and let sit for at least 5 minutes. This will prevent the fresh oregano from burning in the oven.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the oregano oil mixture with the blitzed sourdough breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
Bake at 400°F for 6 minutes, tossing once at 3-minute mark.
Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn, and set aside when golden brown and toasted.
____________________________________________________________
Sausage and Mascarpone Pasta
1 pound orecchiette (or any small-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons neutral oil (like rapeseed)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground Italian sausage, spicy or mild (casings removed, if using sausage links)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup mascarpone
8 ounces spinach, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Cook orecchiette until al dente according to the package directions, in well-salted pasta water. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside.
Add neutral oil to a pan and lightly brown the chopped onion. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
Add cannellini beans and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir the mascarpone into the mixture, and use the reserved pasta water a little at a time to help mascarpone melt into a sauce. You might not want to use all of the pasta water, so begin with ¼ to ½ cup.
Stir in the chopped spinach to wilt it, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Plate and top with the oregano breadcrumbs.