Gemelli with Sweet Sausage and Spinach

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound gemelli or penne
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach (4 ounces)
• 1/2 pint red grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gemelli until just al dente. Drain the gemelli, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

2
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sausage and crushed red pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon, until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook just until softened, about 3 minutes.

3
Add the gemelli and the reserved cooking water to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, lightly crushing the tomatoes, until heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt. Transfer the pasta to bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.