Guess where the cheapest and latest cookbooks are found? The library. I say cheap, not free because I always take the books back late and have to pay a couple cents each time.
That is where I found the book 'à la di Stasio' by Josee di Stasio. I have probably passed the book a hundred times in the Quebec book stores, but until recently it was only in French. Not that I can’t read French, it's just that at the time I didn't know who Josée di Stasio was. I still don’t really know who she is, although I bet all the Quebecois chefs out there would smack me for saying so.
Anyways, the photography in the book is beautiful and I am always a fan of cooking tips from chefs of this Province so I took a chance. Delicious. Just simply delicious. This pasta was so simple, and if you use good quality sausage from a butcher, you can’t lose.
If you are in Montreal, check out the Maitre Boucher on Monkland, we bought one medium Italian and one Toulouse échalote sausage for this dish. Any butcher will do, just don’t buy random sausages from the supermarket (barf).
Sausage and Spinach Shells
adapted from Josee di Stasio's book "a la di Stasio"
1 large sweet onion cut in thin slices
1lb sausage, different types
1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
450 g small shell pasta
5 cups baby spinach
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup grated parmesan
In a very large frypan add olive oil and slightly brown onions. Take sausage out of casing and break it up, then add to pan and cook until no longer pink. Pour in 1 cup of the stock and reduce for a couple minutes. Start a pot of boiling salted water and add pasta, cooking until al dente. Strain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water. Add pasta and baby spinach to frypan along with the ½ cup of stock and reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper then stir in cheese.
8 comments:
That looks tasty! so simple too :) Do you read FoodieView? I made some noodles last night too after I saw that March is National Noodle Month (in the states that is.)
Thanks Patricia, I didn't know that it was national noodle month... I think we will just have to make it INTERnational noodle month! I don't read Foodie View but now I am going to check it out!
I'd like to put my hand up and vouch that this was really, really delicious, and to emphasize how important it is to use good sausage. I kept imagining the cheap kind greasing up the whole dish. I liked it so much even as it was cooking that I asked Christie to make extra so I could bring it to work for lunch today. I may have eaten it last night, but I cant wait to have some more lol
Oh my word, that looks good. I love sausage and pasta together so I'm going to have to try this. I'd probably add a pinch of nutmeg. And I totally agree, the library is the best source for cookbooks. I've got the entire Delia Smith How To Cook series out right now.
Ohhhh Hilary...nutmeg, what a great idea! I can just imagine how that would taste. Yeah, I love the library, but right now I have like four books and a movie that is over due!
That looks so good, warm and hearty meal! I've gotta try this! I love borrowing cookbooks from the library, it's an excellent way to try new recipes without dropping all the $$.
This looks so simple and delicious.
Ash: It was so delicious. You know those days when you crave good pasta but are to tired to put a ton of effort into it. That is where this pasta stands. Easy, and it tastes like you slaved over a hot stove for hours!
Philomena: It was really simple. Just make sure you use good quality sausage and all the work is done for you!
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