Orecchiette with Pesto and Sausage

Do you like pesto? I never really liked it or at least I thought I didn't like it. I'm not sure where the turning point was, but now I am ALL ABOUT the pesto. Let's look at the ingredients- basil? Hell yea, delicious leaves. Parmesan? Delicious cheese, get in my belly. Olive oil? It's good for you! Garlic? Also good for you AND will keep the vampires away! Pine nuts? Hold up. I am really not a fan of pine nuts but they serve some purpose in pesto and I can't pick the flavor out really so they're ok in this situation.

I've made this with store-bought and home-made pesto and it's good both ways! I was just excited to use my mini food processor to make pesto. It's a super easy meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Just pasta, some chopped onions, sausage, peas and pesto! Orecchiette is good in this dish but you could make it with whatever you have on hand. Farfalle and rotini would be perfect too.

Orecchiette with Pesto and Sausage

• 1/2 lb small pasta (orecchiette, rotini, farfalle, penne)
• 1/3 cup pesto (store bought or home made)
• 1/2 lb sausage of choice (I use sweet Italian)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• Parmesan and pine nuts for garnish if desired

Start water boiling for pasta. Cook according to directions. Add the frozen peas into the boiling pasta when the pasta is 3 minutes away from being done. Drain.

Meanwhile, saute the onions in a Tblsp of olive oil. When they are translucent add the sausage to the pan. Cook until no longer pink, drain the fat off.Add the pasta and peas into the pan and toss with the pesto to combine. Serve!

Home made Pesto

• 3 large handfuls basil leaves
• 1/2 clove garlic (you can add more I just really don't like the taste of raw garlic)
• 3 Tblsp grated parmesan 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• Enough olive oil to bind it all together 
• Spinach leaves (optional)

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and drizzle olive oil in until it is the consistency you want. Don't let it get too runny.  I add some spinach leaves for extra nutrition, it doesn't really add any taste.