Just like sometimes you need chocolate, you also sometimes just need comfort food. Maybe you’ve had a tough day at work, a tough day in general, or it’s just cold outside and you want something warm & yummy. When I feel like this, I always gravitate towards pasta. It’s my go-to comfort food.
This week I was in need of pasta and so when my fiancée’s brother came over for dinner I decided to make some. I chose to combine sausage, broccoli & spinach with a white creamy sauce I made with ricotta and a little bit of milk. I absolutely love creamy pasta with rigatoni. It’s definitely my go-to pasta. Scroll below to see how I made it, I included a small step by step guide.
I have grown up on Barilla most of my life, it’s the most widely distributed. Lately, however, I’ve been wanting to experiment and let’s face it, even though I work in marketing, I’m a sucker for packaging, and how pretty is that packaging? Anyway, I tried this Rummo pasta above and it was absolutely delicious, will definitely be buying them again! Just in case you also want to break a habit.
So the first step is to cook the sausage, you can use any sausage – spicy, herby – I used regular normal sausage. I always skin them and cook them without any oil until they are sealed, then I drain the fat.
Then you add the washed and chopped broccoli and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Then add in chopped chili and spinach and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, I try not to overcook the vegetables.
Once your mix has cooked and your pasta has about 2 minutes left on the timer, you want to start on the white sauce. PRO TIP :: I never cook my pasta for the full time it says on the box, I’ll always cook it for 2-3 minutes less and then drain and pour it into the saucepan with the mixture so I can cook it together for 1 minute so it blends beautifully together and makes the dish even more flavourful.
So once it has 2 minutes on the clock, reduce the heat on your mixture to the lowest possible and pour in the milk, stir well. Then add the entire tub of ricotta, and again stir well. By this time your pasta should be done. Drain the pasta and add it to your mixture, still on the lowest heat mix it all well for about 1-2 minutes.
After that, you’re done! Add some parmesan if you want some extra cheese and a pinch of black pepper before serving and then serve yourself a nice plate, you deserve it!
As always, if you try this recipe please let me know what you think! Leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag the recipe #luluinn on Instagram.
A presto,
Ludovica
- 1kg Rigatoni Pasta
- 1 tub Ricotta (about 200g)
- 1 cup Milk
- 6 Sausages (skinned)
- 1 large Broccoli
- 2 Chilis
- ½ pack of Spinach (about 200g)
- Pepper and Salt to taste
- Parmesan (optional for topping)
- Skin and cook sausages, no oil is needed, just make sure to use a non-stick pan. Once sealed, drain fat
- At the same time, salt water and allow to boil, then throw in your 1kg of pasta
- Add broccoli to the sausage and cook for about 2-3 minutes
- Then add in the chopped chilis and spinach and cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium heat
- Once the pasta has 2 minutes left to cook (remember always cook the pasta 2-3 minutes less than it says on the packaging to cook it with the mixture in the pan), add the milk to the mixture, and stir well turning the temperature down to the lowest
- Then add the ricotta to the mixture and stir well
- You will have drained your pasta by now, so add the pasta to the mixture and sitr well, ensuring all the pasta is covered by the creamy white sauce and the sausage and vegetables have mixed well
- You're done, just scoop out your desired serving size, add a little parmesan and black pepper and dig in!
This is the one my son is raving about!! He tried it and loved it! Going to push him to make it for me now!
This looks AMAZING – will definitely be making it!
My son made this for us yesterday (he does not cook ever)!! It’s fabulous! My husband help with stirring and chopping but all was organized by my son…. So it also had to be super easy! Great he now knows something yummie to make!