Rustic Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage, Zucchini, and Sage

Ingredients

• 5 links hot or mild turkey Italian Sausage
• 2-3 T olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 T minced garlic
• 2-3 medium zucchini or yellow squash
• 1 tsp. Italian herb blend
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sage
• 5 ounces dried Penne, Rotini, or other pasta shape of your choice
• Salt for pasta cooking water
• 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup pasta cooking water
• Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for serving if desired

Directions

1. Trim the stem and blossom ends from the squash, then cut each one lengthwise into quarters. Scoop out the seedy center with a spoon, and slice the squash into pieces about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Measure the dried pasta and put it aside. Fill a pot with water, stir in the salt, and bring it to a boil.
3. Rinse the sage, dry it well in a salad spinner or with paper towels, and slice it into narrow ribbons.
4. Warm 1 T olive oil in a large, high-sided Dutch oven-style pan. Add the Italian sausage in crumbles and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a turner, until it is deeply browned. Plan on 10-15 minutes or more. Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta, stir it, and cook it until al dente following the timing on your package.
5. When the sausage has browned, transfer it out of the pan and set it aside. Add 1 T olive oil to the same pan, stir in the onions, and cook over medium-high heat about 4-5 minutes, until they are just beginning to take on color.
6. Stir in the garlic and Italian Herb Blend and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add more oil if the pan needs it, then add the prepared squash. Sauté the squash about 8 minutes, until tender and lightly browned in spots.
7. Return the sausage to the pan, then add the sage and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Cook everything together for 2-3 minutes more.
8. As soon as the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving another 1/2 cup cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan, along with the extra water if the sauce needs loosening. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste, and serve hot, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the table if desired.