Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage

An Italian plate very easy to make. You even cook the vegetables in the last three minutes of the pasta cooking in the boiling water. The added pesto sauce and chicken mango adobe sausage, oh boy...Now that's Italian.

For more dinner ideas please visit Savor the Food.

Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage   

12 ounces Orecchiette
½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
1 cup frozen peas 
1 tbs. olive oil
8 ounces fully cooked Italian style chicken sausage links, remove casing and slice thinly diagonally
1/3 cup pesto*
½ cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese


Cook pasta according to the package directions, adding the green beans and peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain pasta and vegetables (note do not rinse) and return them to the pot.

While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the sausage, pesto and cheese to the pasta and vegetables and mix to combine. Of the reserved water add a little if pasta mixture is dry; continue to do so until the desired texture.

*see the pesto sauce recipe at www.savorthefood.com