Spoon & Shutter

Wild-mushroom papparadelle with chicken sausage, mushrooms and spinach

From Susan: Since I had to brave the third ring of hell that is the Paramus Fairway Market yesterday to purchase items for a magazine photo shoot, I figured I’d take the opportunity to devise something new and different for dinner. (I like the products at Fairway – I just hate the way the store’s “organized” and many of the shoppers …) I bought: fresh wild-mushroom papparadelle, organic chicken sausage, Baby Bella mushrooms and baby spinach to add to a couple of ingredients I had at home. The resulting dish was earthy and flavorful, but light and healthy, due to all the vegetables and the lean protein. I made the sausage slices crispy and added them to the dish at the end, rather than stirring them in – a new technique that worked well here.

Wild-mushroom papparadelle with chicken sausage, mushrooms and spinach

(Serves 4)

1 pkg. fresh, wild mushroom papparadelle (of course you can substitute another kind of pasta – if you’re using dried, about 2/3 lb.)

extra virgin olive oil

2 chicken sausages, sliced (any of the “flavors” are good – I used sundried tomato/basil)

2 cups sliced Baby Bella mushrooms

1/2 cup slivered sundried tomatoes (the oil-packed kind)

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

1  5 oz. package baby spinach

chicken broth as needed

salt and pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese

Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add sausage slices and saute over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add sliced mushrooms to the pan and saute until they have released their juices and are softened. Add sundried tomatoes and cannellini beans, cook for about another minute, adding a bit of chicken broth if the mixture is too dry. Add spinach and stir until wilted. There should be a few tablespoons of liquid in the bottom of the pan at this point – if not, add a little chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When water is boiling, add pasta and cook until done. (If you are using the fresh papparadelle – or any fresh pasta – be sure to stir it as it cooks so that the noodles don’t stick together.) Drain the pasta, return to the pot and toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Divide the pasta between four bowls or plates, top with the vegetable mixture, then the crispy sausage slices. Drizzle each portion with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately!