Rigatoni Walnut Pasta

Servings

Produces 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 Pound of Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage, removed from casing
• 2 Whole Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Cups of Canned Tomatoes, crushed
• 2 Ounces of Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 Pound of Rigatoni
• 8 Ounces Marscapone Cheese
• 1/2 Cup of Walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 1 Onion
• 1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt
• 1 Teaspoon of Freshly Grounded Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon of Oregano
• 1 Teaspoon of Basil
• 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Steps

1. Boil a large pot of water on the stove.
2. Chop onion and add olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir until softened. Add sausage and use a spatula to break it up into small pieces as it cooks. When the sausage is browned, add the garlic cloves, salt, and pepper and cook for about a minute.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, lower the heat and let them simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with basil and oregano to taste. 
4. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water, then drop in the pasta, give it a stir, and cook until al dente as specified by packaging. 
5. While the pasta cooks, stir the Mascarpone into the tomato sauce until blended. Optionally, remove the garlic cloves. 
6. Scoop out a cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta when ready, then add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss around for a few minutes until each piece of pasta is fully coated in sauce. Add more pasta water a little bit at a time to help loosen sauce up if too thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
7. Serve immediately. Optionally, sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Leave additional chopped walnuts and grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Tips

• Do not deeply toast the walnuts for this dish. Perk them up in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 5 minutes to make them extra crunchy and give them a little boost of flavor. Do not let them get browned.
• Follow package directions for the pasta, all brands cook a little differently. Set a timer and taste it towards the end to make sure it is perfectly al dente.
• Chop the walnuts as finely as possible without any big chunks for the optimal texture.
• If cooking with a chickpea or lentil pasta, drain and rinse the pasta under warm running water to remove any excess starch before adding it to the sauce. Then use plain tap water instead of cooked pasta water to add to the sauce. The dish will have better flavor this way.