Soujuk Pasta
a comfort pasta dish using halal turkish sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta (penne or rigatoni recommended)
- 1 lb soujuk sausage (zabiha halal)
- 4 shallots
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tomatoes (to be pureed)
- 2/3 cup heavy-cream or half and half (optional)
- 1/2 cup baby spinach (optional)
- 1/3 cup feta
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Red Pepper Pesto
- 2 roasted red peppers
- 2/3 cup toasted almonds (may also use pine nuts)
- 8 garlic cloves
- 4 anchovies (optional, you can leave out too)
- 2 small bird's eye red chilies (optional, can leave out)
- 1 cup parmesan (shredded)
- 5-7 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
Red Pepper Pesto
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In a food processor combine the roasted red peppers, chilies, toasted almonds, garlic, parmesan, olive, oil, salt, and pepper and blitz until combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Set aside.
Pasta
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Cut the soujuk sausage into quarter bite-size pieces and add to a heated pan. Brown the sausage until light and slightly crispy on the edges.
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Remove the soujuk sausage from the pan. In the sausage drippings, add the chopped shallots and sautee.
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Once transluscent, add the tomato paste and cook down for a few minutes.
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Now add the pesto sauce. Along with about 1/2 cup or so of the pasta water. Stir. Then add the pureed tomatoes.
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Feel free to add heavy cream/half-and-half as well and bring to a simmer.
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Bring a pot of salty water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. (You can do this simultaneously while making the dish.)
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Add the pasta to the sauce and combine. Add the sujuk sausage cooked earlier. Taste and adjust for seasonings.
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Turn the heat off and combine a handful of baby spinach. Top the dish with crumbled feta.