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Spicy Penne with Instantaneous Meatballs
serves 4

Spicy Penne with MeatballsINGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound Italian sausage (pork or turkey, not spicy)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 orange, red, or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced in strips
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced in half-moons
  • 1 jar arrabiata sauce (recommended: Mario Batali)
  • 1 box multigrain penne pasta (recommended: Barilla Plus)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional!)
  • Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional!)
  • Salt & Pepper

PROCEDURE

Bring a large pot of water to boil, covered, over high heat.  Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Make the meatballs from the sausage.  Pull little chunks of meat out of the casing from one end of a link of sausage.  Roll it into a ball, and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Where I buy my sausage, I get 4 ¼-pound links, and each link yields 5 meatballs.  Repeat until all the sausage meat is used.  Discard the casings.  If using turkey sausage, spray the tops of the meatballs with cooking spray.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in sauté pan over medium-low heat until the oil loosens up in the pan, spreads out, and starts to shimmer.  Add the peppers and onions to the pot.  It should sizzle.  Season the veggies with salt and pepper, and stir often for 15 minutes.  The veggies will the soft, and a little golden around the edges.  Add the jar of arrabiata sauce to the vegetables, and cover.

At this point, the water should be boiling, and the sausage meatballs should have been in the oven for 20 minutes.  Salt the boiling water, and add the pasta.  Stir once, and cook according to package instructions until al dente.  Immediately add the sausage meatballs carefully into the simmering sauce and veggie mixture, make sure the meatballs are submerged, and cover.  Cook on low until the pasta is done.

Drain the pasta well, and add it back to its big pot.  Pour the sauce, veggies, and meatballs over the pasta and stir gently until everything is tossed together.  Top with Parmesan, and maybe some parsley, and you’re in business!

TIPS

If you don’t want this dish to be really spicy, use a jar of marinara sauce instead of arrabiata sauce, and add a pinch of crushed red pepper.

If you don't want to cut up anything, just leave the veggies out!

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