Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts, Sausage, Pesto

Sometimes when the temperature drops and the sun hides out the one thing that can keep the fall blues away is a big bowl of lavish pasta. I'm talking real pasta, not whole grain, gluten-free or quinoa-based pasta. And what better to fold into the pockets of one of my favorite cuts, orecchiette, than creamy herbaceous pesto. I guess I can make it a little healthy and add some veggies. In this case, I opted for seasonal Brussels, roasted of course with plenty of salt and olive oil to create that nutty, addictive flavor. If you're not a Brussels sprout fan, you can certainly substitute it with another fall veggie, like acorn or butternut squash. The sausage here gives the dish some heft, but it's an easy feat to remove if you're a devoted vegetarian.

Season Brussels olive oil and salt, spread on parchment

Brown sausage over medium heat in large skillet until golden

Add pasta to sausage skillet and toss with pesto

Roast Brussels in 400ºF oven for 30-40 minutes

Toss everything together in skillet

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta, such as orecchiette
• 3/4 cup pesto, store bought or homemade
• 1 lb uncooked sausage links, sliced
• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, quartered
• 4 Tbs olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss Brussels with 2 Tbs olive oil and salt and spread in one layer on baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden.
2. Preheat large skillet with 2 Tbs of olive oil. Add sliced sausages in two batches if necessary making sure not to overcrowd pan. Remove and set aside. 
3. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and return to same pan sausage was browned in.
4. Add sausage back to pan with pasta, along with roasted Brussels and toss with pesto. Serves 8-10 generous portions.