Super-Simple Mid-Week Pasta Medley

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

My sister-in-law, Susanne, fixed dinner tonight. The recipe is what she calls her staple: a super-simple pasta medley.

As with so many of my recipes, the contents of her fridge dictated the following ingredient list. She was moving around the kitchen liked greased lightening after a crazy busy work day. I followed her around with my laptop and measuring cup to record the proportions she used.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2-3 tablepoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 links smoked turkey sausage*, cut into coins
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 red onion sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups whole grape tomatoes
9 ounces baby arugula or spinach
12 ounce whole wheat penne pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While water is coming to a boil, in your largest sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Sear sausage until browned on both sides. about 4 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are just softened. Remove sausage and mushrooms and reserve.
3. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to pan and sauté onions and tomatoes over medium high heat. Cook until tomatoes are blistered and beginning to collapse. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Return sausage and mushrooms to pan.
4. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Toss hot pasta with arugula or spinach; the heat of the pasta will wilt the greens slightly. Toss pasta mixture with sausage mixture. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, additional oil, if desired, and Parmesan.