Description
Succulent garlic butter sausage bites dance with creamy parmesan pasta in this irresistible comfort meal. Rich flavors blend seamlessly, promising a quick and satisfying dinner that will delight your taste buds with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb (454 grams) smoked or Italian sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Cooking Fats and Seasonings:
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) butter
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Fill a spacious cooking vessel with water, generously season with salt, and bring to a rolling boil.
- Submerge pasta and cook until achieving an al dente texture, following package guidance for precise timing.
- Using a heat-resistant measuring cup, extract one cup of starchy cooking liquid before carefully straining pasta into a colander.
- Slice sausages diagonally into bite-sized medallions, creating uniform pieces that will cook evenly.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high temperature, allowing surface to become thoroughly warm.
- Arrange sausage pieces in a single layer, ensuring each morsel makes direct contact with the hot cooking surface.
- Sear sausage medallions until edges transform into a deep golden-brown, turning periodically to promote uniform caramelization.
- Reduce heat and introduce minced garlic, gently sautéing until fragrant and translucent without burning.
- Incorporate butter into the skillet, allowing it to melt and create a luxurious coating over the sausage pieces.
- Return pasta to the original cooking pot, creating a receptacle for the flavorful sauce.
- Pour sausage mixture over pasta, integrating reserved starchy liquid to help sauce adhere and create a silky consistency.
- Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese, stirring gently to distribute and allow cheese to slightly melt.
- Season with cracked black pepper and additional salt if desired, tasting to balance flavors.
- Transfer to serving dishes, garnishing with chopped parsley for a vibrant touch of color and freshness.
Notes
- Check pasta water salinity by tasting it; the water should taste like seawater for perfectly seasoned pasta.
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet when searing sausage bites to ensure a golden-brown, crispy exterior without burning.
- For a lighter version, substitute regular pasta with whole wheat or gluten-free options and use lean chicken sausage instead of traditional pork sausage.
- Create a silky sauce by gradually adding reserved pasta water, which helps emulsify the garlic butter and cheese, creating a smoother, more cohesive coating for the pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg