Fettuccine with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 pound spicy or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Set a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta, salting it with 1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water. As it comes up to a boil, start the sauce.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook them, stirring often, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes.
3. Crumble the sweet and spicy Italian sausages into the pan as you add them. Stir them together with the shallots, raise the heat to medium high, and cook until the sausage has lost its pink color, about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the cream and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes with their juices, along with the sage. Let the sauce bubble gently for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has thickened.
6. By this point, the pasta water should be boiling. Once the sauce has been simmering for about 5 minutes, add the pasta to the salted boiling water and cook it uncovered at a steady boil until it is al dente, tender but still slightly firm when you bite it.
7. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
8. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if it looks dry.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste, then finish with the cheese before serving.