creamy one pot orecchiette with sausage and peas

Lunch

Creamy One Pot Orecchiette with Sausage & Peas

This easy one-pot pasta recipe earns the title "creamy" thanks to the addition of sour cream and Parmesan, which combine to create a savory cheese sauce that clings to the orecchiette, peas and sausage. The best part about this recipe is that it only requires one vessel to cook everything—pasta included. By using the exact amount of liquid you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, adding even more creaminess. If you like spicy but not too spicy, use a mix of sweet and hot Italian sausages.

Ingredients

6 ounces sweet or hot italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt
8 ounces whole-wheat orecchiette
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine crumbled sausage, shallot and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sausage is cooked through and starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and stir in broth, sour cream, pepper and salt. Add orecchiette, bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is just tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas and Parmesan. Let stand for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving.