Rustic Pasta Sauce with Spinach and Linguica

I am a pastaholic, I admit it I have a problem. So instead of trying to remove pasta from my diet I decide to start dressing my pasta with farm fresh and local ingredients. That is how I came to make this rustic pasta sauce.



This simple recipe is for a chunky pasta sauce that will delight friends and family. The ingredients can be found at your farmers market and your local grocer.

Cook Time

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 15 min

Ready in: 30 min

Yields: 2-4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 half red onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 3-4 vine ripe tomatoes or bunch of grape tomatoes, chopped in chunks if using vine ripe tomatoes
• 1/3 cup of stock, I use whatever stock I am going to add as a protein. If I am not sure I just add vegetable stock
• olive oil
• Dash Cream
• few handfuls baby spinach
• pepper and sea salt, to taste
• fresh Parmesan/ Reggiano, freshly grated

1. Chop garlic and onion finely into small pieces
2. If you are cooking a protein such as sausage, I tend to cook in a skillet first, and remove the cooked sausage and put it aside and use that skillet to finish the sauce. The Portuguese girl in me likes pasta with linguiça.
3. In a large skillet drizzle olive oil, enough to cover a large portion of the pan over med/high heat. After oil has heated add the onion and then the garlic let it cook until the onion and garlic start to become translucent.
4. Then add either chopped tomatoes or the grape tomatoes, Mix the tomatoes, onions, and garlic around the pan. Turn the heat down to medium. Let the tomatoes start to cook for about a min or 2 and then add the stock.
5. Cover the skillet and let it simmer in the stock if the liquid is evaporating then turn the heat down. Cook until the tomatoes start to fall apart. The grape tomatoes tend to deflate and shrivel.
6. When the tomatoes looked cooked add baby spinach and cover. Once the spinach has wilted stir, and add a dash or two of cream, just to thicken the red sauce. Add pepper and salt to taste. I usually grate some fresh Parmesan/reggiano into the sauces for added taste
7. Serve with your favorite pasta add your protein and some more Parmesan /reggiano grated on top.