This wasn't supposed to be today. No - today was supposed to be a two-part dessert to use up our fruiting meyer lemon tree. Then sometimes things just happen. Things like your fall wardrobe barely fitting coupled with the realization that the last three recipes you've shared were desserts. And as you photograph ice cream sandwiches and cupcakes, you start to believe it's possible you've only eaten sweets for a month straight.
While it may seem I survive on sugar and fruit - and that was probably true for most of high school - I promise that's not what's going on here. We eat cheese too. Buttery melt-in-your mouth burrata cheese dotted over caprese fettuccine with roasted heirloom tomatoes, spiced Italian chicken sausage, and a bundle of wilted spinach tossed in.
Remember when you threw a fit because your parents wouldn't buy you a pony? Even though you responsibly cleared a spot in the corner of the yard where he'd obviously be able to live with proper fencing. Or when they told you you'd have to wait until you were 18 to get a big trampoline - even though you had a swimming pool and what fun is a swimming pool if you can't jump from the trampoline into the deep end?? (Okay, so maybe the no trampoline-thing was a wise choice for the kids who sent their friend to the ER with a gash on her face after they convinced her to jump from the counter bar to the couch - don't worry about the coffee table.)
Annnnyway - That trampoline-pony feeling. That I-need-this-so-bad-it-hurts feeling is precisely how I felt about the 6-piece KitchenAid Pasta Excellence set the instant I got my KitchenAid stand mixer. For a year, we borrowed our landlord's hand pasta crank - likely giving it more use than its last 10 years. In our cramped cottage-like in-law, we'd roll out fresh pasta across our tired coffee table, sprawling platters of fresh ravioli over the couches and smearing flour on every surface of the apartment.
That went on once a week until the Christmas Lucas convinced my family to go in on the holy grail of pasta-making tools with him. Imagine walking downstairs on Christmas morning to find a pony jumping on a trampoline under the tree (just go with it).
The impetus for his gift was probably 10% selfishly wanting to encourage more fresh melt-in-your-mouth pasta and 90% being fed up with adding vacuuming to the post-dinner clean-up.
All this to say: fresh pasta is bar none the number one food I miss since switching to a gluten-free diet. Despite relentlessly testing the limits with fresh pasta, it also always puts me flat on my back in a dark room with a screaming migraine. (My current self says "#worthit!", but aching self would adamantly disagree).
The boxed gluten-free pastas work wonders in baked mac and cheese that prefer a bit of texture, but they just don't hold a candle to the silky smoothness of fresh homemade fettuccine. My hungry friend Angi has made me pinky promise I'll dust off the pasta maker attachments next week and get to work turning pasta gluten-free in my own kitchen, but until then, I finally found a fresh gluten-free fettuccine by Cappello's that is making me a preeeetty happy camper (and it cooks in 45 seconds!).
You haven't had enough caprese salad yet this summer have you? I didn't think so. Sweet roasted fall-season heirloom cherry tomatoes split open from the blistering heat, and together with the creamy burrata, snake their way through the bowl, saucing every noodle. If ever there was a cheese meant for pasta, this is it. The spiced italian chicken sausage and a healthy serving of roasted garlic cut the sweet creaminess with a salty bite, and the spinach and basil freshen it all up.
Alternate title: A caprese salad's sultry love affair with fresh fettuccine.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 ounces fettuccine, to make it gluten-free I used Cappello's fresh gluten-free pasta
- 1-½ cups heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2-3 medium cloves of garlic, not peeled
- 1 fresh medium Italian chicken sausage
- 3-4 cups fresh spinach
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2-4 ounces burrata cheese
- 6-8 large leaves basil, sliced thin
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the tomatoes and garlic cloves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and about ¼ teaspoon of salt. Roast the tomatoes and garlic for 10-15 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- While the tomatoes roast, bring a medium pot of water to boil.
- Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- Removing the sausage from its casing, cook the sausage, breaking it into bite-sized chunks, until nearly cooked through. Add the fresh spinach and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the spinach melts and the sausage is completely cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When it's done roasting, remove the garlic cloves from their peel, by pinching it slightly from the top. Chop the garlic and toss it with the sausage and spinach.
- Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to its directions, until al dente.
- Toss the cooked and drained pasta with the sausage, spinach, and garlic.
- Divide the pasta and sausage between two bowls, and cover it with roasted cherry tomatoes. Dot with creamy burrata cheese and sprinkle fresh basil on top.
Min -
Puhahah! Sarah, you truly have a gift of storytelling! I just want to listen to you talk all day long ;). Sadly, my kitchen aid hasn't been getting much lovin lately…I'm drowning in papers so I haven't been spending as much time in the kitchen as I'd like to. Argh..Your husband is so sweet for helping you clean up after you feed him delicious eats! P.S I'm digging the alternate title ;)
Sarah Menanix -
Min! This is seriously the sweetest comment ever - thank you! Come visit the east bay sometime and I promise to yak your ear off;) (And AMEN to the loads of papers...)
Melanie @ Garnish & Glaze -
That looks stunning Sarah! What a bummer to not be able to eat homemade pasta made with your trampoline-pony like pasta maker. Hope you are able to develop a yummy and easy gluten-free version.
Sarah Menanix -
Right?! I just have to retrain my trampoline-pony pasta maker to make gluten-free pasta. And I promise to share when I do! Thank you, Melanie:)
Karen @ The Food Charlatan -
I get "that trampoline-pony feeling" all the time so I totally know what you mean. I have never even made homemade pasta before and now I feel like I'm not a real person. This is GORgeous, btw. And there's never too much caprese, ever.
Sarah Menanix -
Ha - you seem like you could totally get trampoline-pony excited over kitchen gadgets;)
When I finally perfect homemade gluten-free pasta, I'll invite you over for a pasta-making party, deal?
Kelly - A Side of Sweet -
I was probably one of the few that actually got a pony when I asked for one! One of the benefits of growing up in rural Wisconsin - a horse of my very own to show for 4-H. I wish I had a mixer attachment to make my own pasta - can you believe I've never made my own pasta? The photos above make it seem like you've found a tasty alternative in Capello's.
Sarah Menanix -
Luckkkyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Also - you definitely need to add pasta maker attachment to your wishlist. ;)
Veronica -
I remember Lucas doing a back flip on to my couch just because he could and breaking the couch good thing his Dad builds furniture and repaired it! Love this recipe!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks! I think Lucas might still try to do that on the couch if I wouldn't yell at him for it! ;)
Lisa / Good on Paper -
Yummm-O Sarah! I found the answer to the pasta question I left on your IG photo. Ooh, fresh pasta is to die for.. Never made it though. The Cappellos looks awesome too. In love with the packaging!
Sarah Menanix -
I know, right? I love their packaging!
And you should definitely make fresh pasta - when I figure out how to make it gluten-free, I'll invite you over for a fresh pasta making party!
Thalia @ butter and brioche -
What an awesome idea to make a caprese fettuccine! I love the flavour of caprese salads so I can imagine how good this pasta dish tasted.. I must create the recipe!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks! I hope you do, Thalia! Paired with fresh pasta, this dish tastes so vibrantly fresh. I hope you enjoy!
ellie | fit for the soul -
Ohhhhhmagoodnesss...this is wonderful wonderful wonderful!!! Looks so fresh and the ingredients seem to be paired perfectly. I have to admit.....and don't kill me for it....but I have a beautiful little pasta making set for my Kitchenaid that I got for our wedding registry. And, after 2 years I still haven't used it. One of those *doh!* moments. I keep meaning to use it but some strange fear has got me by the throat! Ok not that dramatic, but it's similar to that feeling of "make challah bread with all that yeast?!" Haha, thank you for the inspiration though. And I gotta say--these photos are simply amazing so I gotta pin them. I like to tell people because I know it's always encouraging to hear that, esp. as a blogger.
Sarah Menanix -
Oh no! It's so much easier than it seems! Here's an old recipe from my archives that has my favorite fresh pasta recipe: https://www.snixykitchen.com/2012/07/15/shrimp-scampi-over-fresh-angel-hair-pasta/ I just know you're going to fall in love once you try it!
And thank you! It definitely makes me feel encouraged! xo.
marcie -
This meal looks BETTER than dessert...I mean, really! I just had dinner and I'm ready to devour this. It looks amazing!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks Marcie! I could eat this fresh pasta any meal of the day!
Maryanne @the little epicurean -
Your photos are making me really hungry. It's close to midnight and I'm itching to make some pasta right now.
P.S. I see nothing wrong with back to back to back desserts. :)
Sarah Menanix -
Haha - I knew there was a reason I liked you. When you two come visit (you're coming to visit, right?!), I'm just going to serve you three courses of desserts - deal?
Kirbie -
love this, especially with the color from the tomatoes! Sad about not being able to eat fresh pasta =( I was wondering when I saw the photo since I remember your discussion of having to switch to GF.
On a totally random note, is it weird that I love commenting on your blog because when I type, I get to see this wonderful curvy font?
Kirbie -
love this, especially with the color from the tomatoes! Sad about not being able to eat fresh pasta =( I was wondering when I saw the photo since I remember your discussion of having to switch to GF.
On a totally random note, is it weird that I love commenting on your blog because when I type, I get to see this wonderful curvy font?
Sarah Menanix -
It IS sad - one of the saddest things ever. But I WILL figure out how to make it gluten-free!
Ha! Yay! I love that! One of my favorite fonts too:)
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter -
Haha so true, I never did get that pony or the trampoline I asked my parents for but I would gladly set those aside for a plate of this gorgeous pasta! Love that you made it fresh too - I've never tried making my own but it sounds so so good!
Sarah Menanix -
What if you got a pony on a trampoline AND a plate of this pasta?? Set your dreams high, Kelly! ;) Fresh pasta is definitely one of the most divine things ever - I highly recommend trying it out on your own!
Annie | MontgomeryFest -
a pony jumping on a trampoline under the tree?! dreams coming true in this post!
Sarah Menanix -
Right?! I knew you'd understand.
Also, please consider this dream when picking out Christmas gifts this year, JUSTIN.
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet -
Love everything about this dish! Gorgeous too!
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you so much, Anna!
FoodFlav -
Adding these to my must-try list!
Sarah Menanix -
I hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica M -
The boyfriend was madly craving fettucini the other day (a rarity in and of itself) and I immediately turned back to this recipe -- total success! So flavorful, juicy and bright -- and so light and fresh tasting for pasta! Gorgeous photographs as always my dear =)
Sarah Menanix -
This means so much coming from you! Thank you so much for sharing that you made and liked this recipe!
Julie - Lovely Little Kitchen -
Love the vibrant colors and melty cheese. YUM. Pinned to try soon!