Test 2 - Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta

http://photosandfood.ca/2016/07/29/simple-pasta-sausage-oil-garlic/

1 - This is a perfectly serviceable dish - not remarkable but quick and hearty.
2 - Yup, this is good, maybe more than just serviceable. I find it too salty but not so for Ben. I think I will try it with 1/4 tsp less salt next time.

3 - It's been a while since I've made this and I did not succeed this time. I think I just didn't make enough sauce; while the pasta was covered, it didn't really have much sauciness. And it seemed like there was more pasta than anything else, so not a very good meat-to-pasta ratio.

4 - I don't know what I did last time, but it worked out well this time with the instructions I used. I made half the amount of pasta (250g) and used half the amount of the finished sauce to save the other half for later. 

5 - Nope, totally failed at this one again. Bland and boring. I think I either have to retire it permanently or be more stringent and specific about ingredients. I'll give it one more go and be tough about the ingredients. I used tinned tomatoes this time, and didn't like it. There was no (forgive me for using the word) umami that linked the ingredients. Just fine, but not great. I will try with fresh tomato only, and have some good olive oil to drizzle on top. Oh, and I did not have any parsley so that might be part of the failure. 

500gr fusilli
¼ cup of the pasta water
2Tbsps olive oil
3 Italian sausages, shaped into 1/2oz balls
4 large cloves of garlic, sliced thin
½ cup red wine
2 cups fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped (avoid tinned)
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped - essential
1 3/4 tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper
1 tsp hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
A little extra olive oil for drizzling to serve
Parmigiano Reggiano to shave over each portion of pasta

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan and squeeze out the meat of the sausage, forming them roughly into balls. Cook the sausage until it's done and set aside. 
3. Turn down the heat, add a little oil if necessary to sauté the garlic. Once it starts to colour, add the wine and reduce until it's almost gone. Then add the tomatoes, squashing them with the back of a spoon as they cook. 
4. Add the sausage meat and pepper flakes and combine to allow the flavours to mix.
5. Add the pasta, parsley, salt and pepper.
6. Stir well to coat the pasta.
7. Add as much pasta water as desired to create a sauce. Stir to coat well and let cook until all is ready.
8. Plate your portions and shave fresh Parmigiana Reggiani over each dish along with a little drizzle of olive oil.