Quick, easy, and full of fresh Mediterranean inspired flavors.
Beltane and May Day just came and went last week—and that means we are officially running full tilt towards summer. How about that? I can tell it's right around the corner, because already, I'm running out into the evening sunshine to grab a few tender stems of oregano off my flourishing plants by the doorstep. (If you were on the fence about starting a garden this year, all I can say is you should really plop down a couple perennial shrub-style herbs, like thyme and oregano, so you never have to go empty your pockets at the grocery store for little bits of fresh herbs here and there)!
Now, if you're ready to get into that summertime fine feeling, I've got the recipe for you today. Classic Mediterranean flavors—tomato, spinach, pasta and garlic—also combine with a little bit of heat from spicy sausage and, if you're feeling it, pepper-infused cheese. And best of all, it comes together with only five main dishes: the pot, the pan, the knife, the cutting board, and the wooden spoon. Can you really say no to such a low-dish meal? Especially on weeknights?
This recipe was born of my needing to do something with a bit of homemade farfalle (popularly known as bow tie pasta). It's a great noodle for dishes where you really want them to feel substantial and hearty, and matching them with slices of rich and flavorful sausage means they don't get outshined; they hold their own amidst all these other ingredients. So if you like a lighter, easier, quicker Italian-style dish, this is definitely going to do it for you (especially if you have your garden already started)!
So today, let's get that summer groove going with this dish. We're looking at the peppers, the basil, the tomato, and the oregano specifically for our magic today, and it's magic that'll put us in the perfect mindset for a fun-filled few months.
Magic in Summertime Sausage Pasta
There's something special about the combination of peppers and basil, as well as something special about tomato and oregano. But all in one pot, it means we have a perfectly balanced bowl: one focusing on love, joy, and protection as we open up with our loved ones around, while also helping us find the passion, the drive, and the luck to make the most of every moment. Think of your favorite social moments in the summer: those date nights on the water (if you're seaside) or at least in the evening sun, the warm breeze rolling over you, or those cookouts on the lawn with plenty of friends and conversation that lasts until the sun disappears altogether. That's the energy found in the partnership of these main four ingredients.
With Mars and Venus for our planetary influences, and fire and water for our elementary influences, it's a polarizing spread that brings these opposites into a balanced union. Emotional vulnerability and heightened intuition, love and romance and beautiful summertime nights, get wrapped up in that too-good-to-be-true luck, the prosperity to go out and enjoy life to the fullest, and the protection to drive all bad influences and energy away from the party—which, when you're trying to connect with other people, can help quite a bit. If you're looking to make this summer an adventure, then consider popping a quick and easy meal like this on the stove as May comes and goes.
Summertime Sausage Pasta
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
5-10 spicy sausages (Italian/Chorizo/etc.)
16oz (1 box) bowtie pasta
1/2 lb (220g) spinach
2 small onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
12oz cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4oz cheddar, shredded
1 bunch parsley, chopped fine
1 bunch basil, chopped fine
1 bunch oregano, chopped fine
Salt & pepper to taste
*If you like it more spicy, try a cheddar with habanero or other hot peppers! If you like it less spicy, regular pepper jack or normal sharp cheddar will do, granted you get a spicy Italian sausage (it’s not bad)!
**Remember to reserve a ladle of pasta water to help your cheese make a nice sauce as it melts.
***Don’t add your fresh herbs until the end! Cooking fresh herbs destroys the oils that give them their special flavor.
Directions:
 Slice all your sausage until cooked and fry them in batches, reserving at least half of the fat they release. Set aside once fried.
 Fry onion in the fat until translucent, then add garlic and fry until fragrant.
 Grate your cheese and chop your herbs, then set aside in separate dishes.
 Slice your tomatoes in halves and add them to the pan, stirring occasionally.
 Incorporate all your spinach in batches until it’s wilted down.
 Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil pasta according to package directions.
 Add sausage back into pan with onion, tomatoes, and spinach, reheating thoroughly, and then add cheese and mix.
 Add a ladle of pasta water once cheese begins to melt to make a sauce.
 Drain pasta, then add pasta and sausage mixture into the pot. While still hot, add the fresh herbs and mix thoroughly.
 Serve while hot and enjoy!
Again--it's totally not at all the combination you'd expect with fish, and yet it's delicious! Hearty, savory, and so very filling, this meal transports you not to lakes and oceans, but forests and rivers. It'll keep you running for hours, and it's definitely a meal to use when you get tired of the regular white fish flavor profiles. Enjoy! ♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.