Country Shells with Sausage, Cannellini Beans and Spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (16-ounce) can plum tomatoes, including juice, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound medium pasta shells, rigatoni, or ziti
1 cup cooked white Cannellini beans, rinsed
1 bunch leaf spinach, well washed, stems removed, and leaves roughly chopped (about 10 ounces)
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons light or heavy cream (optional)

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the oil. Add carrot, celery, and onion and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it with a fork, until it has rendered its fat and is no longer pink. Discard the fat and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the red wine, tomatoes with their juice, and tomato paste and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta shells and cook until tender. Drain well.

Add the beans, spinach, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and, if desired, the cream to the tomato sauce. Cook until the spinach is wilted and the beans are heated through.

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and serve immediately.

From The Olives Table by Todd English, et al. Published by Simon & Schuster, (1997).
Servings: 4-6
Source: American Dairy Association