Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage

This past weekend was rainy and quite chilly in New York compared to the warm weather we've been enjoying. Oh well, the flowers need the rain and we got to enjoy a lazy weekend of cuddling, movie watching and puttering around the kitchen.

It seemed like a good opportunity to get in a last hearty pasta dish before the summer salads start taking over. Sweet Italian sausages added a wonderful flavor to an otherwise ordinary recipe and we eagerly lapped up the leftovers all weekend long. Enjoy!










Ingredients
1 lb. Lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Sweet Italian sausage
3 Cups tomato sauce (your favorite brand or recipe)
1 Cup low fat milk
1 lb. Pasta
Handful of fresh basil
Fresh Parmesan cheese for grating
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Roast the sausages on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven until they are brown and the inside is no longer pink. In a pan on the stove top, brown the ground beef. Add the tomato sauce, garlic powder and milk and stir. When the sausages are cooked, cut diagonal slices and add to the beef sauce. Simmer on low heat while you cook the pasta.

I had calamarata (a pasta with large wide rings that resemble calamari and that is considered excellent for holding sauces) in the house but pappardelle or penne would work just as well. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, drain and add to the sauce. Toss in the basil and season to taste. Finish with a handful of grated Parmesan cheese. Makes about 4 servings.