Ingredients
Scale
- kosher salt
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 anchovy filets
- 1 large (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped green olives
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped capers
- sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- parmesan cheese, for topping
- fresh parsley, for topping
Other Options
- 8 ounces baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen peas
- sauteed mushrooms
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add kosher salt and dried pasta. Cook until al dente (according to the package instructions). Drain, reserving about 2 cups of pasta water to add some to the sauce later. Allow pasta to rest while you make the sauce.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and crumble in the sausage. Cook, breaking the sausage with the back of a spoon until the sausage it very well browned and the fat is rendered. Spoon the sausage into a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and stir for 2 minutes more.
- Add the anchovy filets and use the back of a spoon to break up into the onions are garlic.
- Add the tomatoes and their juice. Break up with the spoon to create smaller tomato bites.
- Return the cooked sausage to the pan along with the olives and capers. Stir. Add about 3/4 cup pasta water to thin the sauce, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir pasta into the sauce, adding more pasta water as necessary.
- Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and fresh parsley and enjoy warm.
- Add the other optional ingredients to the sauce as it cooks if you’d like and enjoy pasta night!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4