Farfalle with Sausage, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Slowly, but surely, I am making my way through the list at the bottom of the sidebar. I have another 50 or so recipes starred in my Google. At this rate, I'll need 3 lifetimes to get through all of the amazing recipes I see on your blogs on a daily basis.

The inspiration for my submission for this week's Presto Pasta Roundup comes from Confections of a Foodie Bride. It is originally a Giada recipe.



Farfalle with Sausage, Artichokes, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage (I used spicy)
8 oz artichoke hearts, quartered
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 oz farfalle pasta
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
8 oz mozzarella, cubed (optional - I didn't include)
Salt and freshly ground pepper (with the sausage, artichoke and parmesan cheese, I don't think this recipe needs more salt)

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork (I cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces to begin with), about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes (I also added sliced mushrooms at this stage). Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture.



Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional parmesan cheese alongside.



Verdict: This recipe is great! I used artichokes packed in oil. I'd like to try this with fresh artichokes in the future. I find that pasta dishes aren't always well-proportioned with the sauce recipe. This wasn't a problem for this recipe. The chicken soup and white wine base combined with the other ingredients make for a perfect combination, consistent flavour but not greasy. As someone who doesn't tolerate cream sauces well and is getting tired of tomato-based sauces, this combination is a great option.