CHAPTER 3 TWIST

You’ve ground, you’ve stuffed, you’ve twisted, and you’ve worked so intently to make something that’s truly delicious and one of a kind. Now it’s time to put another twist on the masterpiece you just created. Because, if we’re being honest with one another, the hard part is over. There’s no more weighing out of ingredients, no more mixing things over and over again with your hands, and most importantly, no more being frustrated with the casing when you find a hole or it inevitably breaks. It’s time to call up some friends, invite them over for dinner, and tell them to bring a bottle of wine or whiskey. The following recipes are sure to show off the true splendor of your homemade sausage. They’re generally easy to prepare, simple, and delicious, too. Enjoy!

◁ The Best Breakfast

Sausage Biscuit

This sausage biscuit is one we sell for breakfast at our West Nashville shop six days a week through the drive-through window, and it is consistently one of our customers’ favorites. The sausage is filled with fresh ingredients and robust spices; the biscuits come out of the oven golden-crisp on top and warm and fluffy in the middle; and the drizzle of local honey acts like the glue that holds everything together: no slipping and sliding around, plus an extra dose of sweetness to balance the savory sausage and biscuit. Oftentimes we’ll add a fried egg or some local Cheddar cheese on top, but the good simplicity of a biscuit, sausage, and drizzle of honey does just the trick for us in the early morning. Who are we kidding? It does the trick for us any time of the day.

YIELD: 12 SANDWICHES

FOR THE BISCUITS

1/4 pound (115 g) cold butter, plus extra melted for brushing

4 cups (480 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder

1 tablespoon (18 g) salt

1 cup (235 ml) buttermilk

FOR THE BISCUIT SANDWICHES:

2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) loose Breakfast Sausage (see page 53)

Local honey

2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.

3. Cut the cold butter into flour mixture, mixing it with your hands until the butter is broken down into pebble-sized pieces.

4. Add the buttermilk and, using your hands, mix by folding the mixture over and over again, until you begin to notice flaky layers. Only mix until the flour and buttermilk are combined. Don’t be afraid of large chunks of butter that are likely to remain in the dough. That’s a good thing!

5. Using your hands, spread out the dough on a floured surface to a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick patty. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) diameter ring mold, cut out biscuits and transfer them to a baking sheet. Once filled, put the baking sheet into the refrigerator, uncovered, to cool for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours or freeze for later use.

6. Make the biscuit sandwiches: Using 1/4 pound (115 g) of sausage at a time, pat the sausage into a disc that’s roughly 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) thick. Transfer to a baking sheet and continue until you’ve formed 12 sausage patties.

7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the biscuits for 20 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking.

8. Add the sausage to the oven when 10 minutes remain on the biscuits, while you do your second rotation.

9. When 5 minutes remain, brush the top of the biscuits with melted butter.

10. Make sure the biscuits are golden and the sausage is browned before removing them from the oven.

11. Using a serrated knife, slice each biscuit in half. Drizzle honey on the bottom half and then place a sausage patty on top of the honey. Replace the top half of the biscuit and enjoy.

◁ Very Southern

Mortadella and Pimento Cheese Sandwich

As elementary as a bologna cheese sandwich may sound, it’s difficult to dispute the deliciousness of such a nostalgic childhood lunchtime staple. So why not bring it back, but make it better than ever? Kick that square of processed yellow to the curb, and instead invite a classic Southern cheesy spread to join the fun. Amp up the flavor of regular ole bologna by adding some smoky bacon and sweet, smooth whiskey to your pink deli meat. Then get things almost as hot as Alabama on the Fourth of July by frying it up and squishing it between two toasted buns. You’re going to feel so much Southern love, you’ll be licking your lips for some sweet tea and tapping your toe to bring on the banjo music.

YIELD: 4 SANDWICHES

FOR THE PIMENTO CHEESE

Makes 2 cups (500 g)

1 cup (115 g) shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup (115 g) shredded Colby cheese

1/2 cup (115 g) mayonnaise

1/4 cup (45 g) diced pimentos or roasted red peppers

2 tablespoons (18 g) pickled jalapeños, diced

2 tablespoons (30 ml) pickled jalapeño juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 1/4- inch (11 cm) slices Tennessee Mortadella (see page 100)

4 burger buns, slice in half

Melted butter, for toasting

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Make the pimento cheese: Mix all of the pimento cheese ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

4. Make the sandwiches: Butter both the sliced side of your burger bun and the outside. Set both sides of the bun, face down, on the center rack of the oven to toast for 3 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, add sliced bologna to the hot skillet and fry it on both sides until browned around the edges, about 2 minutes per side.

6. Spread pimento cheese on the top half of the toasted bun, put fried bologna on the bottom half, and press both sides together. Enjoy!

◁ Irish “Bangers ’n Mash”

with Onion Gravy

At its simplest, bangers and mash is just that—sausage and mashed potatoes—but it doesn’t have to be. To the uneducated plebeians with whom you might be caught eating, this meal seems like a very simple and unchallenging dish to prepare, but with a couple of easy tweaks, bangers ’n mash will go from drab to fabulous. For this recipe we added richness and flavor to our potatoes with a sizeable pad of butter and some silky cream, and we upped the classiness by running the potatoes through a ricer, making them perfectly smooth. Finally, the addition of traditional onion gravy topped off with a sprinkle of chives gives these freshly homemade Irish Bangers and Mash the right amount of flare for some newfound fancy friends.

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

4 Irish Bangers (see page 63)

Minced fresh chives

FOR MASH

3 medium Russet potatoes

1 tablespoon (18 g) salt

1/4 cup (56 g) butter

1/4 cup (60 ml) cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

FOR GRAVY

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, divided

1 small onion, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

2 tablespoons (15 g) flour

2 cups (475 ml) beef stock

Salt and pepper, to taste

2. Make the mash: Peel the potatoes.

3. Add the potatoes to a large stockpot and add 1 tablespoon (18 g) salt. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are covered by 2 inches (5 cm).

4. Bring the water to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes until they are knife tender.

5. Put the Irish Bangers onto a sheet tray and cook them in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until they reach the desired doneness.

6. Make the gravy: In a small stockpot over medium heat, add the butter and the onion. Sweat the onion until translucent. Add the thyme and simmer until aromatic. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Slowly whisk in the stock, being sure to continue to whisk with each addition. Cook on low heat until it reaches the desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Strain the potatoes through a colander and put them in a stockpot. Put the potatoes in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and rice the potatoes in a food mill.

8. To the hot stockpot, add 1/4 cup (56 g) butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) cream, and allow the butter to melt.

9. Return the potatoes to the pot with the butter and cream. Using a large spoon or spatula, mix the potatoes with the butter and cream, and then add salt and pepper to taste. (Make sure to not over-mix the potatoes or they will become gummy.)

10. Serve the sausages and mashed potatoes both drizzled with onion gravy and garnished with chives.

◁ Italian Cotechino and Lentils

It seemed fortuitous that we chose to clean out our large freezer just four days before New Year’s Eve in 2014. While digging through the frozen depths of Meat Mountain, we discovered frostbitten meatballs, made space for upwards of 40 giant turkeys, and best of all, got our hands on a long lost, admittedly forgotten, vacuum-sealed package of pig skin—not a football. Cotechino and lentils might sound like an odd dish to enjoy at such a festive time as the New Year, but the beauty of this dish is that every element promises all sorts of success for the year to come. Pigs, fat as they are, are said to represent prosperity (not weight gain), and lentils are coin-shaped, which signify money. Pair your meal with a bottle of chilled Italian Prosecco, and your New Year’s Eve holds the promise of prosperity, wealth, and lots of bubbles and fun.

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon (15 ml) grapeseed or vegetable oil

1 small onion, small dice

1 medium carrot, small dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 cup (192 g) green lentils, rinsed

2 cups (475 ml) pork or chicken stock

2 pounds (910 g) Cotechino (see page 71), in 4 links

FOR THE SALAD

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 whole lemon, juice only

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

1 bunch of fresh parsley, washed and picked

Salt and pepper, to taste

2. In a medium pot, heat the oil over high heat. Sauté the onion and carrot for 2 minutes, and then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute more, and then add the thyme, lentils, and stock.

3. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, turn off the heat, and then let sit for 20 minutes, allowing the water to fully absorb.

4. Place the Cotechino on a baking sheet with a lip. Roast for 15 minutes in the oven, until golden brown.

5. Make the salad: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil together. Add the fennel, red onion, and parsley, and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

6. Once the lentils and sausage are done cooking, scoop 1/2 cup (96 g) of the lentils into a shallow bowl. Place one Cotechino link on top, and garnish with a quarter of the salad mixture.

◁ Game Day Gumbo

As guys, we are pretty much required to both love sports and love watching them regularly, but for us the best reason for watching sports or making a big deal about any particular game is that it gives us license to eat good food and drink good beer. What better way is there to spend a weekend than drinking an ice cold beer while cooking a batch of gumbo, and then drinking an ice cold beer while eating a bowl of gumbo? The oven-based, dark-hued roux, paired with our smoky Andouille sausage, imparts some incredible depth and richness to this hearty concoction, and makes it even more perfect for a cool fall day in the peak of football season. It almost makes us want to root for the New Orleans Saints.

YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

1/2 cup (60 g) flour

1/2 cup (112 g) butter

1 pound (455 g) Andouille, sliced into coins (see page 90)

1 pound (455) chicken, diced (preferably boneless skinless thighs)

1 large onion, small dice

2 ribs of celery, small dice

2 red bell peppers, small dice

8 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 pound (225 g) okra, sliced

1 can (15 ounces [420 g]) diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon (7 g) gumbo file powder

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of smoked paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 quarts (2 L) chicken stock

1 pound (455 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined

2. In a bowl, mix the flour and butter together and put in a Pyrex dish or small casserole. Bake in the oven until the color reaches a very dark brown. (This could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how dark you want it. This is your roux. It should be near chestnut in color.)

3. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until both the chicken and sausage are golden brown. Remove from the pot and reserve for later. Do not discard any rendered fat from the sausage and chicken.

4. Add the onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic to the pot with the rendered fat and sauté until softened.

5. Add the roux and all of the remaining ingredients to the stockpot, except for the browned meat and shrimp.

6. Turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom.

7. Add the chicken, sausage, and shrimp and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

8. Serve as is or over rice.

◁ Nashville Hot Chicken Pasta

“Hot Chicken” is an especially spicy variety of fried chicken that has gained notoriety across the world as Nashville’s culinary claim-to-fame. Although the origin of this fiery fowl is not easily determined, what is undisputable is the way the bird is served. Chicken is breaded and deep-fried, tossed in a fire-red and cayenne-heavy sauce, served on a piece of white toast, and then stabbed with a pickle chip. In creating and cooking with our Nashville Hot Chicken Sausage, however, we like to employ a little more creativity. We substitute the pasta for white bread, garnish with parsley instead of pickles, and add cream, alcohol, and a bit of smoke to fire up your taste buds.

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

2 links Nashville Hot Chicken Sausage, smoked, sliced into coins (see page 102)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

1 cup (235 ml) sherry

1 pound (455 g) bow tie pasta

1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream

1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

2. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.

3. Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery to the pan with the sausage and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned.

4. Deglaze the pan with the sherry. Bring the heat up and allow the liquid to reduce by half.

5. When the water has come to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes or according to the package instructions.

6. Add the cream to the sausage and vegetable mixture and again allow the liquid to reduce by half.

7. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the sauté pan to toss with the chicken sausage mixture. Portion a quarter of the pasta onto each plate and garnish it with fresh parsley.

◁ Easy Chorizo Torta

Unlike the star of this recipe, the chorizo, a chorizo torta generally calls to mind the same image for all people who know and love this easy and delicious sandwich. The prep time is minimal, the ingredients are common, and the combination of hot, red chorizo and cool, green avocado will be both a delight to your eyes and to your tongue. This is one of our favorite sandwiches to make in the shop as a treat for a staff meal when there’s something good to celebrate. ¡Ole!

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

1 pound (455 g) unstuffed Chorizo (see page 59)

4 large hot dog or hoagie rolls

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 tomato, sliced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

1 cup (230 g) sour cream

2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo to the pan and brown, stirring occasionally.

3. Slice the buns in half, butter both halves, and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the buns from the oven and top each with a quarter of the browned chorizo. Top each sandwich with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and sour cream.

◁ Moroccan Merguez

with Couscous and Cucumber Yogurt

Hailing from a part of the world where bold flavors and strong spices are beloved, it makes sense that merguez would be such a good complement to something like light and fluffy couscous. With an appearance like rice but a composition closer to pasta and a flavor that sits somewhere in between, couscous adds wonderful texture and visual interest, and it also acts as a fire extinguisher for the heat of the spicy sausage. Cucumber yogurt sauce further cools the palate and incorporates some delightful creaminess into the dish, making this meal one for the books. You’ll be sure to impress guests with this simple to make, but jaw-droppingly flavorful composition. Note: The sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion

1 large carrot

4 cups (946 ml) chicken stock

4 Merguez links (see page 84)

2 cups (350 g) dry Israeli couscous

1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 of an English cucumber, peeled

1/2 cup (115 g) plain, whole-fat or Greek yogurt

Salt and pepper, to taste

2. In a large saucepan over low heat, add the oil, onion, and carrot and sweat for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the stock to the pan and bring it to a boil.

3. Add the merguez links to a sheet tray and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until desired doneness.

4. Once the chicken stock is boiling, add the couscous, stir to combine, and immediately turn off the heat. Cover the pot with a lid and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the parsley and mix.

5. Cut the cucumber in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh and set it aside. Dice the leftover firm flesh of the cucumber into small pieces. Set it aside.

6. In a small bowl, mix the cucumber components into the yogurt. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

7. Remove the merguez from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Plate a quarter of the couscous in a shallow bowl. Slice the merguez on a diagonal into 3/4-inch (1.9 cm) pieces and lay out on top of the couscous. Top with a dollop of the cucumber sauce.

◁ Fried Boudin Balls

with Spicy Remoulade Dipping Sauce

People from Louisiana swear by Boudin, no matter the variety. Every individual worships his or her own special recipe and will promise you that theirs indeed reigns supreme. And though nobody can necessarily agree on which combination of ingredients is the best, they all agree that making Boudin Balls is the best way to eat it. Because what part of a fried ball of sausage dipped into a creamy and tangy sauce sounds bad? Cat’s got our tongue …

YIELD: 18 PIECES

1 pound (455 g) unstuffed Boudin (see page 98)

2 cups (240 g) flour

2 eggs

1 cup (235 ml) milk

2 cups (230 g) breadcrumbs

1 quart (1 L) lard or vegetable oil

REMOULADE

1 cup (225 g) mayonnaise

2 tablespoons (30 g) pickle relish

12 dashes hot sauce

2. Set up three medium-sized bowls. Fill the first one with flour. In the second bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until they are well mixed. Put the breadcrumbs into the third bowl.

3. Roll the Boudin balls in the flour until they are fully coated. Then roll the floured balls in the egg mixture, and finally cover the balls with breadcrumbs and set them aside. Repeat the process until all of the Boudin is used.

4. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, pickle relish, and hot sauce together for the remoulade. Set it aside.

5. In a Dutch oven or deep cast-iron skillet, heat the lard to 350°F (180°C).

6. Working in batches of five, gently place the Boudin balls in the hot lard and fry until they are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. If the fat is too shallow to cover an entire ball, turn the balls once the immersed side is golden.

7. Using a slotted spoon, remove the golden Boudin balls from the oil and set them aside on a paper towel.

8. Dip the fried Boudin balls in the spicy remoulade and enjoy!

◁ Beer-Braised Bratwurst

with Yellow Mustard and Sauerkraut

Braising bratwursts in beer is a great way to add even more moisture and flavor to these already-perfect links, but the down side is that after doing so they look kind of like a giant, dead worm. Yikes. To make them flavorful and appealing to the eye—don’t forget, you eat with your eyes first—we suggest two important things: good beer and a hot pan. Instead of grabbing a whole case of the light stuff, choose a six-pack of something flavorful, hearty, and delicious. You get to drink two of the six anyway. Finally, use a screaming hot pan to brown both sides of the brat to give it some color and curb-appeal; the moisture from the beer will keep it from sticking.

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

6-pack of your favorite local pale ale, such as Yazoo Pale Ale from Nashville

4 Bratwursts (see page 75)

4 large hot dog buns

Yellow mustard

Sauerkraut

2. Add the bratwursts and bring the beer to a simmer. (Make sure the beer doesn’t re-boil or the bratwursts may burst.)

3. Separately, heat a large sauté pan over high heat.

4. Once the bratwursts float, remove them from the beer and add them to the hot pan. Sear the bratwursts on both sides until golden.

5. Toast the buns.

6. Put the bratwursts in the buns, spread one half of the bun with the mustard, and top the brat with more mustard and sauerkraut.

◁ Roasted Currywurst

with Spätzle and Braised Cabbage

With “curry” at the forefront of the word, currywurst might call forth to mind the vibrant flavors and traditional dishes of India, due to the country’s love for and common use of curry in its cuisine. This version of currywurst, however, originates from a different country entirely. The “wurst” portion of this sausage hails from Germany and therefore pairs well with those tiny little spätzle dumplings and braised red cabbage. Best of all, this recipe for spätzle hails straight from the lion’s mouth: James’ German mother-in-law.

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

4 Currywurst links (see page 78)

FOR BRAISED CABBAGE

1 small head of red cabbage, cored and shredded

2 ounces (59 ml) red wine

1 ounce (29.6 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon (20 g) honey

FOR SPÄTZLE

1 cup (120 g) flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 large eggs, whisked

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

1/4 cup (56 g) butter

2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh parsley

2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives

2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh tarragon

Salt and pepper, to taste

2. Make the braised cabbage: In a medium-sized pot, add all of the ingredients for the cabbage and mix. Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.

3. Fill a medium stockpot with water and bring it to a boil.

4. Make the spätzle: In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg, eggs, and milk together with a spatula until just combined. (Be sure not to overwork.)

5. Scrape the dough onto a perforated pan or into a colander with holes no smaller than the diameter of a #2 pencil. Working directly over the pot of boiling water, scrape the dough with a spatula until little balls of the dough fall through into the boiling water below. Continue scraping the dough until all of it has gone through. (If you don’t have an appropriate colander or perforated pan, you can alternatively use a large zipper-lock bag. Simply scrape all of the dough into a bottom corner of the bag and twist the top like you would a pastry bag. Snip a small hole in the corner of the bag and carefully squeeze out small ribbons of dough (no longer than 1 inch [2.5 cm]) into the pot of boiling water. You’ll want to move quickly so as to allow the spätzle to cook more or less at the same rate, since the bag method is much slower.)

6. Boil the spätzle until it floats to the top of the water. Using a slotted spoon, remove the spätzle and set it aside to cool in a colander, allowing any remaining water to drain off.

7. Put the currywurst on a sheet tray and roast it in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it reaches the desired level of doneness.

8. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the spätzle and sauté until it begins to color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the herbs and toss to combine.

9. On each of four plates, place one-fourth of the spätzle and top with one roasted currywurst and braised cabbage.

◁ Grilled Kielbasa

with Roasted Potatoes and Chimichurri

Originating in Argentina, chimichurri is a fresh, herb-and-garlic-flavored sauce that makes a lovely accompaniment to meat. Although many people choose to use chimichurri as a marinade for meat, we like to let the flavors of the meat be the star, and let the chimichurri take on a supporting role. By grilling the kielbasa instead of pan-frying or oven-roasting it, the sausage will get a nice crust and smoky char on the outside, flavors that go perfectly with the earthy yet bright chimichurri. Use your roasted potatoes to mop up any leftover green goodness. It’s too delicious to rinse down the sink!

YIELD 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons (30 ml) grapeseed oil

2 pounds (910 g) Fingerling potatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 Kielbasa links (see page 55)

FOR CHIMICHURRI

1/2 cup (120 ml) grapeseed oil

1/2 cup (30 g) chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup (32 g) chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup (40 g) chopped garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

2. Pour the oil into a large bowl. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and mix to coat.

3. Put the potatoes onto a sheet pan with a lip, placing the cut sides face down. Roast the potatoes until they are golden, about 45 minutes.

4. Make the chimichurri: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the chimichurri. Set it aside.

5. Grill the Kielbasa for 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through and crispy on the outside.

6. Plate the potatoes, top each plate with one kielbasa link, and garnish with ample amounts of chimichurri.

◁ 9 O’clock Italian Pasta

When James gets home after a late night at work, this pasta is one of his standby go-to options. It’s both quick and easy, plus it requires mostly staple ingredients, meaning he can whip it up when he walks in the door around 8:30 and have it on the table by 9—with no additional trip to the grocery store necessary. After a long, hard day at work, the last thing anybody wants to do is make special stops and then slave away in the kitchen for a good dinner. Nine O’clock Italian Pasta alleviates thinking, stressing, and worst of all, eating something sub-par. Plus, it makes us feel just a little bit Italian for eating so late in the first place!

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

1 pound (455 g) loose Italian sausage (see page 57)

1 medium onion, diced

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28 ounces, [794 g]) crushed tomatoes

1 pound (455 g) pasta, such as spaghetti

2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped

2 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped

Parmesan cheese, to taste

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

3. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they are translucent.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. While the tomatoes are simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Strain the pasta through a colander.

6. Add the herbs to the pasta sauce and mix well.

7. Put a quarter of the pasta into a shallow bowl, and ladle a quarter of the sauce on top. Grate the desired amount of fresh Parmesan on top, and serve hot.