This recipe is too good to be true! A perfect combination of healthy ingredients, chicken sweet Italian sausage, fresh spinach, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, fresh basil and white wheat pasta… these ingredients together with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar will make you so happy… W A R N I N G :  You may crave this after you’ve made it once. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

Print the recipe below, minus all the photos… by clicking on the red link…

Pasta with Italian Sausage, Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil

1 – 12 oz pkg white wheat pasta (like Barilla)

1 pkg Chicken Sweet Italian Sausage (like Al Fresco), skins removed, cut into small pieces

1 container of FRESH Mozarella, cut into fairly small pieces

1 large container (or 2 small) Grape Tomatoes, cut in half

Fresh Basil (to taste)

⅓ – ½ cup Olive Oil

⅛ – ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

Pepper

Spinach

In a large nonstick frying pan add a small amount of olive oil. Cook cut up sausage until browned. Remove from pan and place on a plate that has a few paper towels on it.

Start a large pot of water to boil the pasta, while you’re waiting for it to boil,…

Cut the grape tomatoes in half, set aside.

Wash the basil and chop it up, set aside.

Cut the mozzarella into small bite sized pieces, set aside.

  

In a large bowl, add the balsamic vinegar. I never measure, I just eyeball it to see what I will need to coat the pasta well, it’s ok if it’s more on the heavy olive oil side, you’re going to put this salad on top of fresh spinach, so you will need it! Slowly whisk in ⅓ – ½ cup of olive oil. If you whisk it slowly it will emulsify (become one where it won’t separate). Add some pepper. Go ahead and toss in your cut up tomatoes into the olive oil/balsamic mixture so they can be absorbing those wonderful flavors!

Once your pasta has finished cooking to the al dente stage (firm to the bite), drain it well, and place it in the large bowl with the oil/vinegar. I give it a quick stir to coat the pasta well and then I cover the grape tomatoes with the hot pasta and let it sit for a few minutes.

After a few minutes add the fresh mozzarella, the cooked sausage and the fresh basil. Stir to coat.

You can eat it like it is, or wait until it’s chilled. I usually will take it out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes so that the olive oil will have a change to un-congeal… Place several large handfuls of fresh spinach and then a few large scoops of pasta salad… it melds together wonderfully! Enjoy!

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…  Sonoma Plein Air Event… October 1-6, 2012

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… Approaching Mackinac Island, MI – Island Inn Hotel and the East Bluff!

Catch you back here tomorrow!