Fusilli with Italian Sausage & Basil

This was an off the cuff dinner made with the leftover pasta from the Spinach and Leek Soup with Sausage. That’s right- 5 days later. I think everyone should be a little more flexible about leftovers. When in doubt, eat it. If it’s bad- you’ll know.
If you don’t have leftover sausage you can of course make it within the recipe, it’s written below as such.


- 3 Italian sausages (they should have fennel seed in them)
- 200g fusilli or another small pasta (about a third of a box)
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicy)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- Sauté the sausages in a pan. Once browned all over, slice and throw back in the pan to brown all over. When done, add the onion and garlic and continue to stir.
- After a few minutes, add the can of tomatoes, and the spices. Continue to stir on a low flame as the pasta cooks. A minute or so before the pasta is done, stir in the basil.
- When the pasta is done, reserve a cup of pasta water, strain the pasta, and throw it into the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water in small amounts until the dish reaches your ideal consistency. I prefer my pasta saucy!
- Remove from the heat and add the parmesan.