Fresh Fusilli with Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
A simple, economical, and tasty Mediterranean main course: the robiola adds creaminess to the sun-dried tomato pesto and the sausage gives a rustic touch, making it special.
A quick and easy recipe, the sauce is prepared – in just a few minutes – while the pasta cooks. Due to the presence of sausage, it can also serve as a one-dish meal.
If you don’t have time to cook or are a beginner in the kitchen, click on my Special: “Easy and Quick Recipes“.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Spring, Summer
Ingredients for Fresh Fusilli with Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- 10.5 oz fusilli (fresh or busiate or other short pasta)
- 3 oz sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 oz hazelnuts
- 3.5 oz robiola
- 1 clove fresh garlic (optional)
- 0.7 oz grated Parmesan (optional)
- 5.3 oz sausages (crumbled, about 2 sausages)
- 1.7 fl oz dry white wine
- 3.7 fl oz extra virgin olive oil (high quality (divided between the pesto and the sausages))
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste marjoram (or basil)
Tools
- Mixer Braun Multiquick 9, 1200 W power
- Pot
- Pan non-stick, pasta sauté
Steps for Fresh Fusilli with Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
First, let’s prepare the PESTO of sun-dried tomatoes:
Rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes: bring to a boil some cold water with a little vinegar in a saucepan, then pour the boiling water into a bowl with the sun-dried tomatoes and let them rest for about 15 minutes.
Drain them well and let them cool, then add them to the mixer bowl with the hazelnuts, robiola, grated Parmesan, marjoram (or basil), garlic clove (optional), 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, and blend everything until creamy. Set aside.
Meanwhile, take a pot, fill it with water, salt it, and bring it to a boil. Reserve the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta water is boiling, take a pan, add 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil, heat it, and then brown the crumbled sausage well in small pieces over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.
Pour the previously prepared pesto into the pan with the sausage, mix well, and add a ladleful of pasta water, also add the pasta cooked al dente (fresh pasta is cooked as soon as it floats) and toss everything over high heat.
If you like, you can add a little more Parmesan and pepper and serve the hot dish on a serving plate, garnished with pieces of sun-dried tomatoes and marjoram (or basil) leaves.
Shopping Tips!!!
For preparing the pesto, I used the very handy food processor, included with my Braun MultiQuick 9 Immersion Blender, which boasts a powerful 1200 W motor and other very useful accessories including the immersion blender and electric potato masher, available at a special price on Amazon.
To properly toss the pasta, I used an Agnelli non-stick aluminum pan for proper sautéing of the pasta in the sauce.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How to store sun-dried tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil, once each jar is opened, should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 3 days maximum, taking care to add extra virgin olive oil to keep the tomatoes always covered.
Sun-dried tomatoes NOT in oil,in a bag, once opened, can last in the fridge from 2 weeks to a month.
Sun-dried tomatoes can be stored in the freezer, as long as they are always in a container or food bag, so they do not come into contact with air, even for a few months.
