Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Corn, Leeks and Mushrooms

By mschweickert

Ingredients

• 8 ounces casarecce or other short pasta
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 12-oz. pkg. Italian chicken sausage, sliced crosswise into 1/4-in.-thick pieces
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
• 2 medium leeks, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Details

Adapted from realsimple.com

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until almost al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add corn, leeks, and salt and cook, stirring often, until corn is tender and leeks are soft, about 4 minutes.

Step 3

Add butter, lemon zest, and reserved pasta water and cook, tossing, until liquid reduces and coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Serve topped with basil.

How to Make It

Step 1

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until almost al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add corn, leeks, and salt and cook, stirring often, until corn is tender and leeks are soft, about 4 minutes.

Step 3

Add butter, lemon zest, and reserved pasta water and cook, tossing, until liquid reduces and coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Serve topped with basil.