Sun 1 Nov 2015
Baked Pasta with Sausage and Harissa-Spiked Sauce
Posted by Recipe Sleuth under New Finds
No Comments
If you are in the mood for some comfort food, try this baked pasta from Bon Appetit. It includes harissa, a North African hot chili pepper paste made from chipotle and spices. To tone down the spiciness of this dish, use a mild sausage instead of a hot one.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
I have not been able to find preservative-free harissa, so I make it from scratch with canned chipotles and spices. The recipe is below. Look for sausage, canned tomatoes and feta with no preservatives. I use President’s Choice “Free From” sausages, Unico tomatoes and Tre Stelle feta.
Ingredients:
Harissa
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweet paprika
1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground caraway
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Pasta
1 teaspoon (5 ml) caraway seeds
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin seeds
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
12 ounces (340 g) hot or sweet Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 28-ounce (828 ml) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon (15 ml) harissa paste (see recipe above)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
8 ounces (226 g) medium shell-shaped pasta
3 ounces (85 g) feta, crumbled
A spice mill or a mortar and pestle
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C)
For the harissa, combine all ingredients into a paste. Set aside.
Grind caraway and cumin in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle; set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook sausage until browned all over but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
Add onion to same skillet and cook, stirring often, until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and reserved spices. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing, and juices, then harissa. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente (about 3 minutes less than package directions; it will be firm in the center). Drain, reserving ¼ cup (60 ml) cooking liquid.
Add sausage, pasta, and cooking liquid to skillet; toss to coat. Transfer to a 3-qt. (2.8 L) baking dish, top with feta, and bake until top is browned and juices are bubbling, 18–22 minutes. Serves 4.
From Bon Appetit
No Responses to “ Baked Pasta with Sausage and Harissa-Spiked Sauce ”