Sumthin' New...

For those who don't know, I love to cook and bake. Growing up in a home with parents who cook and bake, it goes without saying that it's rubbed off on me. But these days, I don't have time to cook as much as I'd like to, much less experiment with new recipes. Nevertheless, I've decided to try something different on my blog, which is to post (though, intermittently) some of my creations, whether they be my own personal recipes, dishes passed down within our family, or new ones I've decided to try.

Rhoda's Fave Pasta


Rho's Pasta
Originally uploaded by Rho.

...or what Lil' Brudder calls "Chicken Drunk Pasta".

I don't remember how I came up with this recipe. What I do remember was that at the time (about four years ago), I was tired of having the regular tomato sauce over a bed of pasta. Also, I discovered a love of fresh herbs that I incorporated in other dishes.

Ingredients:

Smell That?
Originally uploaded by Rho.

1/2 lb pasta of your choice
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 fully-cooked chicken apple sausages, chopped
5 small, ripe tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1 bulb garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 T fresh basil,chopped
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
1. Heat sausages in olive oil. Set aside.
2. Sautee minced garlic. Add onions until they "sweat".
3. Add tomatoes. Sautee until liquid is reduced.
4. Turn off heat. Toss cooked pasta in sauce.
5. Toss in fresh basil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to serving plate. Sprinkle additional basil to garnish. Good for 3-4 servings.

I like to use angel hair pasta for this light sauce. I have different takes on this recipe. Fresh Italian parsley can be substituted for the fresh basil. If I have time, I'll brown chopped chicken breast. Otherwise, sausages work great. Also, I like to crush my garlic in the mortar. If you don't have one, here's a trick: sprinkle some salt over the crushed garlic. With the side of your knife blade, mash the garlic and salt by dragging it on your chopping board. This brings out the oils of the garlic. Otherwise, minced garlic works great, too! By the way, if you're not a big fan of garlic, reduce the amount to your preference. Sometimes, I'll add 1/2 cup of white wine, hence the name "Chicken Drunk Pasta".