Country Italian Pasta

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: people

Calories: 566kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

This Country Italian Pasta is perfect on a cold night....or anytime, for that matter! This will truly warm your cockles. A Loon Favorite for sure!

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Ingredients

2 teaspoon olive oil
10 oz Italian sausage about 3 or 4 links, sweet or hot, casings removed, shaped into small balls
3 oz prosciutto chopped
1 cup onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley fresh, chopped
3 tablespoon basil fresh, chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup white wine dry
3 cups chicken stock
10 oz baby spinach fresh
1 can 15.5 oz cannellini beans drained, rinsed
1 cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided (¾ cup for sauce, ¼ cup for garnish)
12 oz rigatoni pasta dried

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When heated add the sausage and cook until browned...place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
In the same skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil (1 tsp) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the prosciutto. Cook until browned and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the onion. Cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir for another minute.
Add basil, parsley, and salt (one teaspoon) and pepper (½ teaspoon). Stir for 1 minute.
Add the wine to de-glaze the pan, scraping up brown bits stuck to the skillet. Cook, stirring often until almost evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, beans, and cooked sausage. Bring to a simmer. Add the spinach and stir until cooked and wilted.
Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add ¾ cup of the cheese...stir until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil...add in the rigatoni. Cook for 8 minutes, or until al dente, stirring occasionally.
Drain pasta. Add the pasta to the spinach mixture and mix well.
Serve at once, passing additional parmesan cheese at the table.

Video

Notes

Bulk sausage or sausage links can be used. If using links, be sure to remove the outer casings and then form into small meatballs. The sausage can be prepared up to 1 day in advance.

Navy beans or Great Northern beans can be used in place of the cannellini. If using dried beans, soak for 8 hours, or overnight, drain, and then simmer in salted water for 1 hour, or until beans are soft.

If making in advance (which is great, because the flavors meld even further), prepare the sauce without the pasta. When ready to serve, re-heat the sauce while cooking the pasta. Stir in the cooked pasta when ready to serve.

This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.

Nutrition