Creamy Asparagus Sausage Pasta

This Asparagus Sausage Pasta is a delicious Italian pasta recipe that is the perfect spring time dish to cook using some fresh asparagus. Made with Italian sausage and a few spices. Creamy and delicious without adding any cream. Perfect for a weekday or special occasion dinner idea.

 

I know spring has arrived not when I receive a bouquet of flowers (tulips are my favourite), but when the Italian surprises me with a bouquet of wild asparagus! It’s a good thing I love Asparagus, I like to think of it as the sophisticated vegetable.

These days when I am driving down our main street, I look  at the side of the road and I see the occasional person bending down and hunting around in the bushes looking for wild asparagus. Not only is it perfect in a pasta dish but also parmesan roasted, as an asparagus quiche, or blended into a Pesto made into a tasty Italian frittata!

This is a healthy cream sauce, what is so amazing is it is creamy all on its own. No need to add cream or milk. All healthy delicious, sophisticated, asparagus.

Recipe Ingredients

• Pasta – short pasta of choice
• Asparagus – fresh asparagus cleaned
• Water – water from the boiled asparagus
• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil
• Butter
• Garlic – 1-2 cloves minced
• Shallot – minced
• Sausages – Italian hot or medium sausages (casing removed and chopped)
• Tomato puree – also known as passata
• Pepper or hot pepper flakes
• Salt or to taste
• Parmesan cheese – freshly grated

How Much Dry Pasta To Cooked Pasta

Pasta usually doubles in size when cooked, so for the recipe you will need approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of dried pasta to make 3 cups cooked. One cup of uncooked pasta is equal to approximately 70 grams (I measured with mezze rigatoni).

How to clean Asparagus

Clean the asparagus by snapping off the tough base of each spear, this is usually around the bottom third of the spear, where the stem starts to turn tender. Keep only the tender part.

How to make a Creamy Asparagus Sausage Pasta recipe

Chop the cleaned asparagus into pieces, separate the heads from the stems.

In a medium pot, cook the asparagus heads in boiling water, remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the same water boil the cut up stems until tender. With a slotted spoon remove the stems, (but do not discard the water) and place the in a blender or food processor with a one cup of the boiled asparagus water. Blend until smooth.

In a large frying pan add the olive oil, butter, garlic, shallot and cut up sausage cook for until the sausage is no longer pink, then add the tomato puree (passata), pepper or hot pepper flakes, blended asparagus and asparagus heads, check for salt and add if necessary, cook on low to medium, stirring often, until thickened.

Add the cooked pasta al dente, and a little pasta water, toss gently to combine while heating on high heat until thickened and creamy. Serve immediately topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

What type of Pasta should I use?

Cream sauces I was taught in Italy should always be served with a short pasta, such as Penne, Mezze Maniche, Fusilli, Rigatoni, Tortiglioni, or Sedani and if you ask the Italian he will tell you to make sure you get Rigati Pasta (pasta with ridges), it will hold the sauce better!

Can frozen asparagus be used?

Yes you can definitely use frozen asparagus. It probably won’t need to be boiled for as long as fresh.

What Is Tomato Passata/Puree?

Tomato puree is a liquid, but dense product, it is obtained by removing the pulp from raw or cooked tomatoes. It is sold worldwide and is available in most supermarkets. Of course it can also be produced at home.

How to Cook Pasta

Always buy a good pasta and cook till al dente, if it is a good package following the cooking time on the box is a good idea. No need to throw it against the wall, taste one to see if its cooked.

Always cook the pasta in enough water, you will need 4 cups (1 litre) for 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) of pasta. Be sure to choose the correct size pot, you don’t want the water to reach the rim and overflow, because pasta, when cooked, can increase in volume up to three times. Always cover the pot when boiling the water, but remove it once the pasta has been added.

Calculate about 5g (1 teaspoon) of salt for every litre (quart) of water. Add the salt only when the water has reached a boil and never before.

After adding the pasta to the pot, bring it back to a boil and keep it at a boil while the pasta is cooking. This allows the pasta to achieve an even cooking, be sure to stir frequently while it is cooking.

Never pass the freshly drained pasta under running tap water. You should never stop the cooking, even when you are making a cold pasta salad, let it cool by adding a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Drain the pasta al dente, this is done by tasting, if it has a bite to it it’s ready, nothing worse than mushy pasta.

How to store leftover Asparagus Pasta

Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. It will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. Heat the leftovers, on the stove or microwave.

More Recipes with Asparagus:

• Puff Pastry Pancetta Asparagus Quiche
• Oven Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
• Italian Fresh Asparagus Frittata
• Ravioli with Asparagus & Mushrooms

So whether you make this Asparagus Sausage Pasta with wild asparagus or your local market asparagus, I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!

Updated from April 19, 2017.