Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Sausage and Mushrooms
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Sausage
Season: Fall
Difficulty: Easy

This is an earthy dish all around–whole wheat pasta, sausage, and mushrooms.  It’s best to use a full flavored mushroom such as shiitake or portobello that marries so well with the other ingredients.  Shiitake is not an Italian mushroom but it works well in this dish popular in the fall when cold weather descends.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 35 minutes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound hot Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, cut up if large

3 rosemary sprigs

1/8 teaspoon red chile flakes

1/2 cup red wine

3/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti

2 ounces pecorino cheese, freshly grated

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then cook the sausage until it turns color, breaking it up further into small pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, rosemary, chile, and red wine and cook until the mushrooms are browner and soft, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.  Drain without rinsing.

3. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs.  Transfer the pasta to the skillet with the sausage and mushroom and toss well with the pecorino cheese, then transfer to a serving platter and serve hot.

Variation: 

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Posted: 12/21/2006