Penne Tossed With Ricotta Cheese And Sausage

Penne Tossed With Ricotta Cheese And Sausage

Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side dish.
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1/2 lb. spicy or mild Italian sausages
1/2 lb. penne pasta
1/2 lb. whole milk ricotta cheese
2 T. chopped Italian parsley
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Remove sausage casings and break into 1 inch pieces into the skillet. Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is cooked through; set aside.

2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid

3. To the hot pasta cooking pot add the ricotta, 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, parsley, red pepper flakes and nutmeg. Stir to combine and stir in cooked sausage and then the pasta. Mix in remaining cooking liquid if necessary to thin sauce further. Stir in half the Romano and serve pasta immediately topped with remaining cheese.