Strozzapreti with Pork Sausage, Shaved Brussel Sprouts, and Sage

Pasta with sautéed shaved Brussel Sprouts and pork sausage. A hearty and delicious pasta main course recipe for fall and winter! 

It wouldn’t be Brussels Sprout Week without pasta! Ok, well, it wouldn’t be any week without a good heaping bowl of pasta, but that is an entirely different matter.

You know that famous Sophia Loren quote, “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” That basically defines my life.

I prefer not to think of pasta as a weakness and more as a life necessity. I can’t live without it. 

I decided it was about time that I post a main course Brussels sprout recipe for this crazy week of Brussels sprout recipes! 

Today’s pasta was loosely inspired by a Brussels sprouts, ground veal, and sage pasta that my older sister made for our family last year.

I changed the original dish a lot (honestly, I don’t even have the original recipe in my possession!) and nixed the veal for easy-to-find seasonal ingredients including pork sage sausage. 

This time of year, just before the holidays, Whole Foods sells various types of ground sausage that you can purchase by the pound without the casings. I happened to find a ground pork sausage with sage, which was perfect for this recipe, but any mild pork sausage would work.

Fresh sage is one of my favorite herbs of all time. It reminds me of stuffing and the holidays. 

This pasta is chock full of Brussels sprouts. Nearly a pound to be exact.

In order to make a pasta that had a generous amount of Brussels sprouts in every bite, I shredded them in the food processor as I did for this Brussels sprouts apple salad. 

The shaved Brussels sprouts are sautéed in the sausage drippings and a touch of water before being mixed with the browned pork sausage pieces, garlic, and lots of fresh sage.

A little bit of dried red pepper flakes add a touch of heat. 

Strozzapreti with Pork Sausage, Shaved Brussel Sprouts, and Sage

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Yield: 4 - 6 Servings

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 25 minutes minutes

Total: 35 minutes minutes

Pasta with sautéed shaved Brussel Sprouts and pork sausage. A hearty and delicious pasta main course recipe for fall and winter! You'll want to make this dish over and over again.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb bulk pork sausage or sausages with casings removed
• 4 large garlic cloves finely chopped
• 10 fresh large sage leaves finely chopped
• ¾ lb Brussels sprouts trimmed and very thinly shaved
• 1 lb Strozzapreti dried pasta or other short textured pasta
• ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• ¼ to ½ cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese plus more for serving

Instructions 

• Set the sausage out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking and prep the remaining ingredients. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
• Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage in three to four batches, breaking it into small pieces as you add it to the pan. Brown the sausage pieces on all sides They should sear and turn golden brown, this will maximize flavor. Once cooked through, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to plate or bowl.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped garlic and dried red pepper flakes to the pan. Sauté for about a minute, stirring constantly, or until fragrant. Add the chopped sage and cook for another minute or so, stirring.
• Add the shredded Brussels sprouts to the same pan with any remaining sausage drippings that remain. Stir to mix everything together evenly. Add two tablespoons of water to the pan. Sauté the brussel sprouts, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and lightly caramelized. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes roughly. If the pan gets too dry, add another tablespoon or so of water to the pan as needed.
• Add the cooked sausage back into the pan and keep the mixture warm over very low heat while you cook the pasta. Season to taste, adding salt or freshly ground black pepper as needed.
• Boil the pasta until it is al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of starchy pasta water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot and add the sausage and Brussels sprout mixture to the pasta. Stir in ¼ to ½ cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, adding starchy pasta water as needed to loosen. Serve immediately.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 741mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g

Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate

Course: Pastas, Risottos, and Grains

Cuisine: Italian