1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 24 ounce can Italian style plum tomatoes, chopped, reserve juice
1/2 pound mild Turkey Italian sausage, casings removed and broken into pieces
1/2 pound hot Turkey Italian sausage, casings removed and broken into pieces
1/2 cup of vodka
1 cup whipping creme
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup for sauce and 1/2 cup for serving)
1 pound of Rigatoni (see substitutions)
Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Add the turkey, stirring with a wooden spoon and breaking the pieces into bite sized bits. Remove the turkey once it is cooked almost through and set it aside. (Heat the water for the pasta while you continue making the sauce.)
Add the olive to the pan and heat it. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and the Italian seasons and stir until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the reserved juices, and the reserved turkey and any accumulated juices. Simmer and stir the mixture about 10 minutes. (Start cooking the pasta now, normally 8 - 9 minutes for "al dente") Add the vodka, stir and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the creme and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Remove the pasta once it is cooked, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add the drained pasta to the sauce, stir to coat. Transfer to a large pasta dish. Pass the remaining cheese to top each individual serving.
Serve with a simple field greens salad with crumbled blue cheese and a bit of olive oil, and some crusty French or Italian style bread.
Posted: 2/24/2010 4:58:38 PM