Penne Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach

I found this recipe back in 1998 when it was published by Bon Appetit Magazine. The credit for the recipe goes to Russell Ito from San Mateo, CA. The flavors in this are quite lovely. There is the delicate flavors of the shallots, mushrooms and spinach, and the cohesiveness of the mozzarella with a kick from crushed red peppers!

Ingredients
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
3/4 # Aidell’s Sun Dried Tomato Sausage, cut into thick rounds
3/4 # crimini mushrooms
3/4 cup of chopped shallots
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
1 10 oz. package of ready to use baby spinach leaves
1 1/4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
3/4 # cooked Penne pasta
2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese

Main ingredients

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the sausages, mushrooms, shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes.

Sausage, mushrooms, shallots, garlic and red chili flakes

Saute these until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Mushrooms are browned enough to add the broth and cheese

Add the spinach

Add the spinach and broth

and the chicken broth. Toss until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Then add the pasta and the cheese.

The pasta and the cheese...

Toss until the cheese melts and the sauce coats the pasta, about 3 minutes. Then season with salt and pepper to your liking. Then serve!

Dinner is served!

You can also try this with fully cooked pork sausage, or try it with a turkey sausage. I like the flavors in the sausage I use in this recipe the best!