Impromptu Pasta

One of the perks of writing a food blog is the opportunity to sample ingredients I wouldn’t normally consider buying.  The brown boxes with big bold letters saying “perishable” are like receiving a special gift from a magical food fairy every couple of weeks.  I can only imagine what my mail person must think.

This time I received a sample of Buitoni’s new Riserva pasta through my Food Buzz Featured Publisher membership.  The pasta was tasty and the filling had an unexpected bold flavor.  Plus, the cooking time is incredibly quick at just four minutes in boiling water.  I opted to keep things simple by using a few randomly selected ingredients I had laying around for a quick sauce.

Would I ever consider buying this pasta in the future?  Maybe….and that’s a big maybe.  The pasta was very rich and is sold at a premium price.  I would only really consider it for special occasions.

Impromptu Pasta
9 oz Buitoni Riserva stuffed pasta
4 oz (2 links) spicy Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
¾ – 1 cup (1 medium) zucchini, diced
½ cup (1 medium) tomato, diced
1 Tbl. fresh parsley
2 Tbl. sour cream
2 Tbl. parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta according to the package directions and drain.  Sauté chicken sausage in a medium sauté pan for 3 -4 minutes, over medium high heat.  Add the zucchini to the chicken sausage and cook for an additional 2 -3 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.  Remove the mixture from the heat and toss in the tomatoes.  Pour sauce over pasta.  Top with sour cream, parsley and Parmesan cheese.  Serves 2 people.

Authors Note:  I used sundried tomato and basil chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s.  It’s spicy and has a ton of flavor.  If you use just plain chicken sausage, consider seasoning it with a few of your favorite spices.

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