Classic Pasta Recipe from Puglia

On New Year's Day, Italians traditionally eat cotechino sausage and lentils as the round coin-like shape portends a prosperous New Year.

 

This simple recipe takes minutes to make and is hearty and delicious.

 

Farfalle alle Puglia

 

- 1 pound Farfalle Pasta

- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage

- 1  sliced vidalia onion

- 2 large, ripe fresh tomatoes, diced.

- 3 cloves garlic

- 12 ounces arugula

- 12 ounce can, low sodium chicken broth

- Crushed red pepper to taste

 

In a large saute pan, brown the sausage, remove from pan and set aside to cool.  In the saute pan, add some additional olive oil, the sliced garlic and the onion and saute until the garlic and onion softens about 3-4 minutes.  Add the diced tomatoes and simmer 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes break down.  Add the broth a little at a time as the tomatoes break down.  You don't want the pot to be dry.  I ended up using about 7/8 of the can.   Here's a picture at this point.

 

Pasta Puglia Sauce: Fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, hot pepper flakes

 

Next, add the sausage back to the pan and finish cooking through as you drop the pasta into the water. The green flakes in the picture below are a bit of torn basil I threw in.  

 

Lucky sausage "coins" added to the condimento

 

Finally, drain the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce, add the arugula, toss and  transfer to a serving platter.  Serve immediately with lots of grated pecorino and hot pepper flakes.  It's simple, and doesn't get much better. 

 

Pasta alla Puglia

Tutti a tavola!