Credit goes to The Tasting Kitchen for inspiring this pasta recipe. I sat at the bar alone for a long evening making friends with the locals in Venice, Ca. while tasting a few things on the menu. This dish was so good that when I got on the plane the next day, I wrote a recipe, then came home to test it a few times to cook at Mariano's. My kids loved it because of the toasty breadcrumbs laced with lemon zest. Even better, the entire dish cooks up quickly for easy weeknight meal! Enjoy…
{Featured in Mariano's cooking program March 2013}
Inspired by The Tasting Kitchen's pasta!
Orecchiette with Sausage, Leeks & Chili Recipe
By Published: March 8, 2013
- Yield: 4-6 Servings
by Kiki Luthringshausen of Beauty and Her Feast
Ingredients
- 1 lb bulk mild Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 serrano chili chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 lemon zest for breadcrumbs and juice for sauce
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- kosher salt/pepper
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta
Instructions
- In a small nonstick skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and lemon zest and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt. Toss to moisten and brown the mixture, but don’t burn. Set aside. (Can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container.)
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up as small as possible with a spatula.
- Cook until browned and pieces start to get crumbly. (Cook a little longer than you normally would so it gets crispy.) Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the oil and the leeks. Stir and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes or until they soften.
- Add the garlic and chili. Stir for about 1 minute then add the sausage back to the pan and mix everything.
- Add the broth and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Turn down heat to simmer. (pasta should almost be done cooking and ready to drain)
- Once your pasta is drained, add it to the skillet with the sausage and toss thoroughly. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture all over the pasta. Serve!
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