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Penne Pasta recipe with spinach and mushrooms
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Penne with Chicken Sausage Spinach and Mushrooms Recipe

Another "As Good As It Gets" Recipe
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken sausages pork sausages work too
  • ¾ pound penne pasta
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil more if needed
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 pound button mushrooms
  • ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper more if you like it hot
  • 1½ cups chicken stock
  • 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme finely chopped
  • 12 ounces fresh spinach leaves no stems please (the pre washed packages work well)
  • 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Heat up the grill and cook the sausages. You can also cook them in a pan on top of the stove. After they are cooked and cool enough to handle, cut them up into ¼ inch slices and reserve.
  • Heat up a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add a teaspoon of salt then add the pasta and let it cook until al dente.
    Be sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water before you drain the pasta in case you need it for the sauce.
  • Heat up a large fry pan big enough to hold the sauce and the past over medium high heat. Add the oil and when it’s hot, add the onion. Sauté for a few minutes until it begins to soften, then add the garlic. Let this cook for a minute or two then add the mushrooms.
  • Add the crushed red pepper and let the mushrooms cook until they loose all their liquids and start to brown. This should take about 10 minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock and fresh thyme and top with fresh spinach leaves. Toss and let this cook until the spinach wilts, just a couple of minutes.
    If you don’t think there will be enough sauce, add a little of the reserved pasta water. I like to add some because the water has starch in it from the pasta and helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
  • Add the sausage slices and stir. Hopefully the pasta is ready at this time and should be added to the sauce and stirred to coat.
  • Add the grated mozzarella cheese and stir into the pasta until it melts and both the cheese and sauce coat the pasta.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
  • Serve immediately.