Dinner tonight. Bow Tie Il Forno

This is the perfect recipe to make tonight. It's easy to make, delicious and tastes fantastic with a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

It is one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes. (It's tastier than it looks in the picture.) It's made with yummy pasta, porcini mushrooms, peas, sausage and a creamy tomato sauce made with a touch of sherry. It's fantastic for any night of the week. Or for a dinner party with company. Your guests will be impressed.

We got this recipe from our favorite Italian restaurant in Westport, Connecticut called Via Sforza. I asked the chef for the recipe when I was coordinating a fund-raising cookbook for FCA (Family and Children's Agency) in CT. They were kind enough to share it with me. They knew I liked this a lot, since we were in their restaurant nearly every week and I ordered it every time. I'm especially grateful for it now since we don't live there anymore. Now we can make it anytime.

I do make a few of my own adjustments to the recipe. I use baby bella mushrooms and turkey sausage. It tastes just as good and is slightly healthier. There is a grocery store here called Mollie Stones that sells Pappardelle noodles. So if I'm near one I'll stop in and pick up some pasta. If not we wing it with another pasta like we did today with bowtie pasta. Here's the printable recipe. Don't forget to open up a nice glass of vino. Perhaps a nice Napa Cab?

 

Bowtie Il Forno

8oz pasta (bowtie or papparadelle)

olive oil

1/2 lb bulk sausage in 1" bites (pork or turkey)

10-oz porcini mushrooms or baby bellas cut into quarters

4 T shallots diced

2 cups plum tomato sauce

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup peas (frozen peas work well)

1/4 cup cream

2 oz. brandy

2 T butter

salt to taste, pepper to taste

fresh parsley for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a pan. 

2. Brown sausage and shallots. Add brandy to de-glaze the pan. Cook for a minute. 

3. Add fresh mushrooms, peas, salt and pepper. Saute for a minute. 

4. Add plum tomato sauce and cream. Simmer. 

5. Boil pasta noodles while sauce is simmering. Drain pasta. Add to sauce. 

6. Add butter and Parmesan cheese. Toss together. 

7. Garnish with parsley.