Recipe: A week night comfort of Balsamic Mushroom and Sausage Pasta

Serves 4

Hot Italian sausage sings backup to half a kilogram of mushrooms and an entire red onion. Deglazing the pan with balsamic vinegar adds complexity, acidity, and a little sweetness to the sauce in one fell swoop.

Ingredients:

350 g medium tube pasta (such as mezzi rigatoni or pipe rigate)

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided, plus more

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

500 g cremini or button mushrooms, cut into pieces

230 g hot Italian sausage

1 large red onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Finely grated Parmesan (for serving)

Method

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp butter in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot or skillet over medium-high until butter is melted. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp Kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

3. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in the same pot over medium-high. Add sausage and 1/2 tsp Kosher salt. Cook, breaking meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula, until cooked through, about 2 minutes.

4. Add red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until combined and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Return mushrooms to pot and add tomato paste and red pepper flakes; season with black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until paste is darkened in colour, about 2 minutes. Pour in vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, 30 seconds.

5. Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, and remaining 2 Tbsp butter. Cook, stirring often and adding more pasta cooking liquid a little at a time if needed, until pasta is coated and sauce is glossy, about 30 seconds.

6. Transfer pasta to a platter; top with Parmesan.

Recipe by Kendra Vaculin

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