Sausage Orecchiette with Peas & Mascarpone Cream Sauce
I have probably made a thousand iterations of Sausage Pasta. It has always been a favorite amongst our kids. I’ve made it with mushrooms, with kale, peas, spinach…I’m always trying to sneak at least one veggie into them! This version has turned out to be the winner, so I felt ready to share it, although honestly, I could write 10 recipes for Sausage Pasta. This Sausage Orecchiette with Peas & Mascarpone Cream Sauce is rich and creamy, quick and easy! Works perfectly for a weeknight dinner.
Our kids went through a phase where they wanted to cook us dinner for a “date night” at home or to mark a special occasion. It was really cute. Just like food brings people together, I think those nights brought our kids closer as siblings. They would decide on a dish, gather the ingredients, invite us to sit and stay out of the kitchen. We would quietly say a little prayer that all the food would be cooked through and that no one would get hurt or start a fire and then they would serve us.
There were many nights they chose to make a sausage pasta. It usually consisted of a tomato sauce, some ground sausage, penne pasta and parmesan cheese. I have to admit, for kids ranging at that time from age 8-14, they did a great job! It was fun to see them excited about cooking together in the kitchen, lord knows I’ve tried to teach them for years. This slightly fancied up version of Sausage Orecchiette with Peas & Mascarpone Cream Sauce is in honor of our kids and the nights they made us dinner at home!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Course
Main
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
6 servings
Ingredients
2-3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1/2 lbs. loose ground sausage
1 leek, sliced thinly (whites and light greens only)
5 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt for pasta water
1 lb. orecchiette pasta
½ pint heavy cream
4 oz. mascarpone cheese
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 Tbs. fresh basil, julienned
1 Tbs. fresh mint, chopped
Parmesan Cheese, grated for serving
Kosher salt & black pepper
Optional: 1 Tbsp. Chopped Calabrian Chilis, for heat if desired.
Instructions
1. In a large skillet, heat over medium high heat, add a few Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and heat for another 1 min. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 10 mins. Remove to a separate bowl.
2. In the same skillet, lower heat to medium and sauté leeks for 4-5 mins., add minced garlic and sauté one more minute.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook pasta to directions on box.
4. In a small pot, add cream and mascarpone cheese and warm over low heat, stir to combine and keep warm.
5. Add sausage back to the pan with the leeks and garlic. Add pasta to the pan, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
6. Add the mascarpone cream sauce and stir to combine.
7. Add peas and turn off the heat. Add the pasta water, stir to combine until thickened creamy.
8. Top with chopped basil, mint and parmesan cheese
9. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if desired.
10. Optional: stir in 1 Tbsp. chopped Calabrian chilis for heat.