Pasta with a Creamy Mustard and Sausage Sauce

 

One of my favorite things to eat is Pasta.  I do need to control myself as I would happily eat it every day, three times a day.  As a diabetic this wouldn't be a very smart thing to do however, so I do keep myself reigned in.

Also its not so bad so long as I use a high fibre or whole wheat pasta and include plenty of vegetables in the dish.  That makes this hearty and simple pasta dish something which I can truly enjoy on occasion!  

 

I have also downsized the recipe to feed just one, moi.  If you are wanting the full sized recipe, you can easily access it here.  

One of the things I thought I would really miss here, now that I am back in Canada, were the lovely sausages that I was able to buy in the UK, or bangers are they are lovingly known. 

 

I am happy to say that there are now some really great sausages here that are available in the shops.  PC free from sausages.  (And I have not been paid to say that. I speak the truth.)

They come in a wide variety.  They have them called simply Bangers, then there are the Honey Garlic, Sweet Italian and Hot Italian.  All are very good.  If there are any more varieties I haven't come across them yet.  I like the free-from because they are made from meat which has been raised without anti-biotics, and grain fed. It is also Canadian Pork. No GMO.

 

I know that might not mean anything to some people, but it does mean something to me.  In any case, these are delicious sausages.  Nice and meaty, well flavored and not filled with too much fat and fillers.

I love this simple pasta sauce. It is rich and creamy, and filled with flavor, depending on the type of sausage you choose to use. 

 

I like a nice peppery sausage, but not overly spicy.  I chose to use the sweet Italian today and it was excellent. In the UK, I always used a good Cumberland sausage. 

This recipe is also a great way to use up any bits of cabbage you have going in the refrigerator. You don't need a lot, only about a cup of it.  I tend to buy my cabbages either on the smaller size these days, or cut in halves or quarters.  I just don't and can't use up a whole cabbage anymore unless I have company and am wanting to eat a lot of coleslaw.

 

The cabbage gets sautéed in a heavy bottomed skillet along with a medium onion which you peel and cut into half moons.  I hand shred my cabbage so that it is not too fine, but neither do you want the pieces too large.

I sauté them with the onions in a mix of olive oil and butter. You can use just the oil if you wish, but I like the extra flavor that the butter gives.

 

I find it also aids in the caramelization of the vegetables.  You get a lovely nutty flavor from the cabbage, kind of sweet. I love it.

Once the vegetables have softened and begun to caramelize you can add the sausage. You will need to skin it, which is very easily done.  Simply run a sharp knife down the length of it and peel the skin away, discarding it.

 

This gets broken up and torn and thrown in with the cabbage and onions.  Just stir fry it, until it too starts to caramelize and turn golden brown in spots and slightly sticky.

You need two kinds of mustard for this.  A good Dijon mustard and a grainy Dijon mustard.  Both have qualities that add something unique to this dish. Do NOT be tempted to use regular North American Mustard.  The flavor of those is too sharp and harsh and vinegary, plus the color is far too bright.

 

Dijon has a nice mellow flavor.  Yes, there is a bit of heat, but it doesn't slap you in the face. I like that.  In fact it is my mustard of choice now for most things.

There is a place for North American Mustard, but its not here.

 

You will also need a quantity of heavy cream for the sauce. Not a lot, really, only 1/3 cup/80ml. If this bothers you then you can use evaporated skim milk in its place.  

This will give you the silky richness without the fat. Don't worry the other flavors will make it very difficult to detect that you have used canned milk.  I have this so infrequently that I just use the cream.

 

In for a penny, in for a pound, no pun intended.  The sauce is rich and creamy.  Depending on the sausage you have used you may or may not need seasoning. Taste it and adjust as necessary.

At this point you can also throw in half of the chopped parsley, and get on with the business of cooking the pasta.

 

You could certainly use whichever pasta you like here, but I like to use one that will grab onto and "hug" every bit of that lucious, rich sauce. Something which will cup the sauce.

Today I used Cappelletti. It is shaped like little saucers. You can use anything similar, baby shells, etc. All work well.  I dare say you could even get away with elbow macaroni.

This is delicious. You get the caramelized sweetness from the onions and cabbage, along with the spicy tang of two mustards, and the richness of a good sausage.

Then there is the cream . . .  what's not to like about this?

Some nice crusty bread on the side to help sop up that sauce and you are in pasta heaven. I can't think of anything else you might need, save it be perhaps a salad on the side and if you are a wine drinker a nice glass of merlot would go nicely.  

I am not a wine drinker, so enjoyed it with a nice glass of cold sparkling water!

Pasta with a Creamy Mustard and Sausage Sauce

Yield: 1

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 14 MinTotal time: 19 Min

I have down sized one of my favorite weeknight supper pasta dishes to serve just one person. This is quick and easy with a deliciously different, rich, and meaty sauce.

Ingredients

• 1/2 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 TBS butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half moons
• 1 cup (130g) white cabbage, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 fat good quality sweet Italian sausage (or hot if you prefer a bit of spice), skinned
• 1 TBS flat leaf parsley, chopped coarsely
• 1 heaped tsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 heaped tsp of grainy Dijon mustard
• 1.3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 ounces (about 2/3 cup) pasta shapes (use one which will cup the sauce such as Conchiglie or Cavatelli. I like Cappelletti)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil and butter in a medium, heavy bottomed skillet just until the butter begins to foam. Add the cabbage and the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until they begin to wilt and caramelize a bit. I usually cover it with a lid for the first five minutes to help it soften a bit faster.)
2. Tear the sausage up into bits and add it to the cabbage and onion mixture.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and golden brown in places. 
3. Stir in both mustards and the cream. Heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in half the parsley and remove from the heat. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
4. Cook the pasta according to the package directions in some lightly salted boiling water. Cook just to al dente.  Once done, using a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked pasta directly out of the cooking water and into the skillet with the sauce. (Its okay to have a bit of water in the sauce, but take care not to add too much.)
5. Give everything a good stir together.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Scatter the remaining parsley on top and serve immediately with some crusty bread if desired.

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