Italian Sausage Pasta with Basil

In 1998 my husband, Mike and myself had gone to the First Greco Family Picnic (they have it every 5 years).  Over the next few months, Diane Randesi (one of the children of the Greco clan) had put together a cookbook that everyone who attended the picnic (about 100 people or more) contributed recipe to the cookbook.

Italian Sausage Pasta with Basil/John Shea/The Greco Family “Cook”Book

Italian Sausage Pasta with Basil

1Lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (35oz.) can plum tomatoes, with liquid

1 Lb. Vermicelli pasta, dry (not coiled, but straight)

¾ Tbsp. dry basil

1/3 cup parsley (fresh), chopped

¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated

2/3 cup olive oil

 

Crumble the sausage into bite-sized pieces into a wide and deep frying pan.  Cook the sausage over medium heat, stirring often until meat is lightly browned.  Add onion and bell pepper; continue to cook, stirring until onion is soft, but not brown (about 5 minutes).  Spoon off and discard excess fat.

Put tomatoes into a dish and break them up with a fork/spoon into smaller pieces.  Stir the tomatoes, their liquid, and garlic into the pan.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat and boil gently, uncovered, stirring often, until slightly thickened (about the 10-15 minutes).

Meanwhile, cook the Vermicelli.  While Vermicelli water is boiling or while the pasta is cooking, place a large, oven-proof serving bowl into your oven, set at a low temperature (150 F.) to  get the bowl warm.  Remove the bowl from the oven and combine the basil, parsley, cheese and olive oil in the bowl.  Add the cooked Vermicelli to the bowl and mix it lightly with those ingredients (this will require 2 forks).

Top this mixture with the sausage-tomato sauce from the frying pan and mix well.  Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Italian bread.               Serves 4-6 

(Recipe for the Italian Sausage Pasta with Basil was in the Greco Family “Cook”Book. John Shea, 1998.)

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