Need help with some Pasta recipes

[Ang]

We have 2 good friends coming over for dinner and a movie on Saturday night. It will make 4 adults. Any ideas for some interesting pasta dishes? No allergies and we love spicey food. Help!

[amazongold]

Look on Foodnetwork.com for Rachel Ray's Pasta Puttanesca - it's a 'rustic' sauce with capers, garlic, black olives, chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and anchovies dissolved in olive oil. Not a thick sauce, like regular tomato sauces, but looks awesome.

[Jen]

You could always make some home made gnocchi. I have a recipe that is great but it didn't work for me

Sorry Ang, I don't have many pasta recipes. I just go to the Italian deli and get some fresh pasta, sauce and some spicy sausage.

Do you want me to send some to you?

[Ang]

sausage through the mail?

umm, no thanks...

[Jen]

Ang, here's the recipe that I was telling you about.

Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers and Feta
Cooking Light - May 2003
Makes 4 Servings

8 ounces pasta, orecchiette (bow tie pasta also works well)
1 tsp. olive oil
3 cups red bell pepper sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
8 ounces turkey Italian sausage
1 tsp dried oregano
1 garlic clove minced (I normally throw in 2 or 3)
3/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives sliced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt; saute 2 minutes. Remove casings from the sausage. Add sausage, oregano and garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until sausage is done, stirring to crumble sausage. Add pasta, reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, olives and black pepper; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Notes: Only used about 2 tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid. Used feta with oregano, sun-dried tomatoes and oregano and it was a good addition

[Ang]

sounds awesome Jen, thanks. We've decided on Lasagna for tonight, but i'll definately try that another time.