Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1 lb shell pasta
- 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs ground mild Italian sausage
- 1 large shallot, diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Cook the Shells and Reserve Pasta Water
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and add the 1 lb of shell pasta.
Cook according to box instructions, around 6-8 minutes for al dente.
Before draining, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water – you’ll use this to create the creamy sauce later.
Brown the Sausage and Shallots
While the pasta cooks, heat the 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the 1 1/2 lbs of sausage and the diced shallot.
Season with the 1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning and cook, breaking up the sausage into small bits with your spoon.
Cook until the meat is cooked through and the shallots are tender, ~8-10 minutes.
Add the 3 garlic cloves and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add Wine and Build the Cream Sauce
Pour in the 1/3 cup of white wine and allow it to reduce by about half, ~2-3 minutes.
The wine will bubble up initially then settle down as the alcohol cooks off.
Add the 3/4 cup of heavy cream to the pan and stir to combine with the meat and rendered fat.
Allow the cream to bubble slightly, then add the 3 cups of fresh spinach.
Cook until the spinach wilts down completely, ~2-3 minutes. The whole sauce process takes ~13-15 minutes total.
Combine Pasta and Finish the Dish
Add the hot shells directly to the pan with the sausage and cream sauce.
Toss everything together to coat the pasta.
Season generously with freshly ground black pepper – as much or as little as you like.
Add the 1 cup of pecorino romano and toss to combine.
Slowly add the reserved pasta water, bit by bit, until you have a creamy uniform sauce that coats the shells without being too thick.
I usually use about 3/4 cup of the pasta water, but add it gradually since you might need more or less.
Taste and adjust salt as needed – the cheese and sausage are already salty so you might not need much.
Creamy Sausage and Shells
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1 lb shell pasta
- 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs ground mild Italian sausage
- 1 large shallot, diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 lb shell pasta according to box directions, about 6-8 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water before draining.
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add 1 1/2 lbs ground Italian sausage and diced shallot, season with 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, and cook 8-10 minutes, breaking up the meat, until cooked through.
- Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in 1/3 cup white wine and reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream and let bubble slightly.
- Add 3 cups fresh spinach and cook 2-3 minutes until wilted.
- Add hot cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Add 1 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese and toss.
- Gradually add reserved pasta water, about 3/4 cup, until sauce is creamy and coats the pasta.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.