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A Family That Eats Together: Penne with Sausage and Fire Roasted Tomato Ragu

Penne with roasted tomato ragu and sausageMarin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Here's her meal plan for this week.

This dish was a hit with my son and his friends. Kids who were questioning the ragu with tomatoes where quickly turned into fans at first taste. The adults will love this sophisticated take on a simple and unexpected ragu. The sweet Italian sausage with the smoky tomatoes is a perfect match with the bit sized penne pasta. Make tons in advance and you have a quick lunch or easy left overs for busy nights ahead when you don't have time to cook. This is a crowd pleaser for the whole family.

Servings: 8–10
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pound Italian sausage, ideally bulk or have your butcher remove the casings (use either sweet or spicy depending on your preference)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 14-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • salt
  • pepper
  • parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Prepare the pasta per the package instructions.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage and cook it until it is brown and crumbly, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Pour in the balsamic vinegar; fire roasted tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes further. If you feel the sauce needs to be less thick add a bit of pasta water to thin it out (optional).
  3. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.