Recipe: Cavatelli with Spicy Tomato-Sausage Sauce (using cavatelli or penne pasta)

CAVATELLI WITH SPICY TOMATO-SAUSAGE SAUCE

12 oz hot Italian sausage
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup juice reserved from canned tomatoes (or water)
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
3/4 lb uncooked cavatelli or penne pasta
3/4 cup ricotta cheese

Remove casing from sausage. Heat olive oil in large frying pan over medium heat; saute sausage, breaking into small pieces, until color turns pale and sausage is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, tomato juice or water and basil; simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 5 minutes. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead.)

Cook the pasta in 4 quarts boiling, salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well. Reheat the sauce.

Toss the pasta with sauce. Serve on warmed serving dishes. Garnish each serving with 3 tablespoons ricotta.

Makes 4 servings
Source: COOKS magazine; May/June 1988