When I lived in New York, I would frequently find sausage and pea pasta on the menu at Italian restaurants, but when I returned home to the South, I couldn’t find them. I decided to make my own (with a Southern twist), and my first original recipe was born. It has remained one of my son’s favorites for years.
I feel like the trick to making any dish with sausage is to make sure that you use a sausage you like. The herbs and spices used are unique to each brand and type, and everyone has their own preference. That’s why I went with the unconventional choice of a country sausage instead of an Italian sausage. Neese’s Country Sausage has been a staple in my household since I was a child, and I seriously packed frozen bricks of it in my luggage when flying back to NYC after visits home! (There may have been a homesick meltdown in a Food Emporium when I couldn’t find Neese’s and RO-TEL.) You can absolutely substitute any sausage you want.
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This right here is the prep work.
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Seriously. Just shred the cheese. I always recommend using a good parmigiano-reggiano. After this, it’s really just combining ingredients together to make a delicious sauce.
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I just add the frozen peas to the pasta pot about a minute before it’s done. Drain and add to the sauce to marry the flavors.
I think that oriecchiette (meaning little ears) does the best job of cupping the sauce for maximum flavor. Medium shells can be used as well.
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This sauce freezes beautifully. Just leave out the peas and add those with the pasta when you are ready to serve.
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Sausage and Pea Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a medium saute pan over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking into small pieces. Drain.
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Return the sausage to the pan and add marinara sauce and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and add half and half. Bring back to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add ½ cup of the parmesan cheese.
You can add more or less red pepper flakes to adjust the heat. -
While making the sauce, cook pasta according to package directions. Be sure to add salt to the pasta water. When 1-2 minutes of cooking time remain, add the frozen peas to the pasta. Finish cooking and drain.
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Add the pasta and peas to the sauce and allow to heat together for a minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with the remaining parmesan cheese.