sausage

Looking for a quick lunch that can be served hot or chilled?  This is so easy and so good.

2 cups Penne Pasta - cooked and drained

3 links Italian sausage browned and sliced into bite size pieces

2 cans stewed tomatoes (no need to add seasoning, the seasoning is in the stewed tomatoes.

1 bag washed baby spinach

1 cup mozzarella cheese, diced

1/2 cup parmesean cheese, grated

Brown sausage in a large skillet.  When cooked through, remove the sausage and drain the pan. Return the sausage to the pan, add tomatoes and spinach then cover.  Cook on medium heat until spinach is wilted. 

Put pasta in a large bowl, toss with sausage, tomato, spinach mixture.

Add cheeses, toss again.

Serve warm with garlic toast or chill and serve cold.

NOTE:  I used mild turkey sausage.  You can add whichever you prefer.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs Italian Sausage

2 apples, peeled and cored

1/2 cup raisins

Over medium heat lightly brown the sausage with apples and raisins until 3/4 of the sausage is gray but still barely pink. Drain fat.

Mix in:

1 teaspoon anise

1 1/2 lbs baked potatoes, cooled

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

Fill a quiche pan with mixture

Top with

1 layer of puff pastry

brush with an egg wash made of 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of milk

Bake in a 450 oven for 30-40 minutes (if potatoes were chilled, 40 minutes)

Serves 8

I strayed from the basic recipe using turkey Italian sausage from Tops. I used a biscuit batter for a topping rather than the puff pastry the last time I made this for a luncheon.