Italian Penne Salad With Turkey Sausage And Gorgonzola Recipes

BAKED PENNE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Place sausage and onion in a large, deep skillet.
• Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.
• Drain excess fat.
• Pour in wine, and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to deglaze the pan.
• Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Toss with cooked pasta, and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle top with mozzarella.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

ITALIAN TURKEY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Add oil to skillet and turn heat to medium.
• In a bowl, combine turkey, salt, pepper, garlic powder, fennel/caraway/celery seeds, crushed red pepper, and poultry seasoning.
• Mix with fingertips until well incorporated.
• Add turkey mixture to skillet and cook until well done and aromatic.
• Drain sausage and set aside.
• Use as desired.

PENNE WITH CARAMELIZED ONION-GORGONZOLA CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and garlic to coat with butter. Cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is light golden brown. Do not let onion or garlic burn. (Onions will shrink during cooking.)
• Meanwhile, fill large pot with 5 quarts water; heat to boiling over high heat. When water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt if desired. When water returns to boil, add pasta. Stir immediately to make sure it doesn't stick to itself or pan. Boil pasta 9 to 10 minutes or until cooked through but still slightly firm. Drain in colander. There is no need to shake off excess moisture.
• Add onion mixture to pot. Increase heat to medium and add 1 cup of the whipping cream and 1/4 cup butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and cream simmers. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add drained pasta and remaining 3/4 cup whipping cream. Cook and stir until pasta is coated and sauce is hot.

MEDITERRANEAN PENNE

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook penne according to package directions.
• (I sometimes like to add vegetable boullion to the water during cooking to give the penne a little extra flavor); Drain and set aside.
• In a large wok style pan combine onions, peppers, garlic and Italian herbs with olive oil and sauteé until tender crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Mix in the kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes, cook another 2 minutes, or until heated through.
• Add the cooked penne, feta and freshly ground black pepper to the pan and toss gently to mix.
• Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until feta begins to melt.
• Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

SAUSAGE AND SPINACH PENNE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Put the water on to boil for the pasta.
• Fry the sausage slices over medium heat in a large skillet (you need room for the sauce later).
• Remove the sausage from the pan (leave the grease).
• Fry the sliced onion until translucent.
• Lower the heat to medium low.
• Water should be boiling - add the pasta.
• Add the fresh garlic and fry for a minute.
• Add the spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, cayenne and simmer.
• Add slightly beaten eggs to the ricotta.
• Mix in the spinach and 1/2 cup parmesan.
• Pasta should be slightly firm.
• Shred the cheese.
• Fill a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan half full with the drained pasta.
• Stir in the sauce (but leave about one cup for later).
• Sprinkle 1/8 cup parmesan across.
• Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella across.
• Spread out the sausage evenly across.
• Spread the spinach mixture across.
• Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella across.
• Spread the rest of the sauce across.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Add any remaining parmesan and mozzarella and then cook until it is melted (mine started to brown).