Penne with Sage, Mushrooms, Sausage and Spinach

         There are times when I crave a bowl of pasta.
And in miserably rainy and surprisingly chilly New York, this may be one of them. But then I crave pasta no matter what the weather.
        Only a few days ago, when the temperature in New York hit 89 degrees, I think the heat got to me.  I really wanted a taste of this ultimate comfort food and as I searched around for something to cook, I came across a recipe in one of those “You asked for it” columns in Bon Appetit.  In these, diners wax poetic about memorable meals they’ve enjoyed all over the place.  The magazine then tracks them down and the chefs, happy for the publicity, jump at the chance to be showcased.  I’d love to give full credit for this dish to a restaurant called “Geranio” (722 King Street, Alexandria VA 22314 TEL: 703-548-0088).  But I am afraid I made changes too numerous to do that.  What I got from the restaurant’s recipe was something that every pasta lover could learn from: a rich base that made the whole dish phenomenally flavorful and satisfying. And it was awfully simple to do.

The Secret to the Sauce...
a red wine and beef broth reduction

         The secret here was taking a cup of red wine and 1 ½ cups of beef broth and reducing that mixture down to half its volume.  What you end up with is a sauce that is incredibly rich and which lends its flavor to the other ingredients, especially the assortment of fresh mushrooms.  This is no diet delight as it contains plenty of butter, the meat from several sausages and a nice helping of Reggiano Parmigiano.  I tried to compensate for this by making it with whole wheat penne and I added a couple of healthy handsful of fresh baby spinach.   

         I think it’s time to delve into the differences between whole wheat pasta and ‘white’ pasta. The whole grain pasta sports a ‘heart healthy’ label.  What accounts for this? There’s the tiniest calorie reduction from 200 to 180 a serving. Their low fat content applies to both. The protein count is identical.  And even the carbohydrates are almost on top of each other with our Whole Wheat version clocking in at 41 grams while the white flour penne come in at 42.  So the whole difference between the two is in one single area.  White Pasta contains 2 grams of fiber.  Whole Wheat has three times that amount.  That’s all 6 grams.  Big Whoop!  And what about the taste?  I would have to say that I tend to think the white stuff has the edge.  But if you like your pasta ‘al dente’, the whole wheat version gives you a far chewier bite than white.  It all comes down to how holier-than-thou one wants to be.  I think I’ll just continue to mix it up.  Here’s the recipe:

Recipe for Penne with Sage, Mushrooms, Sausage and Spinach:

Serves 4.

1 1/2 cups low-salt beef broth

plus ¼ cup of beef broth for the mushrooms

1 cup dry red wine

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

12 ounces assorted fresh mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini, and stemmed shiitake), cut into large pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Sweet Italian Sausages, removed from their casing and crumbled.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

1 pound penne rigate

1 cup finely grated Parmesan (2 ounces), divided

Bring broth and wine to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup, 15-18 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, ¼ cup of beef broth; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sausage bits to same skillet. Sauté until sausage begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add wine reduction, butter, and sage; simmer until liquid thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until almost tender but still firm to the bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Stir pasta and 1/2 cup cheese into mushroom mixture. Stir over medium-high heat, adding water by tablespoonfuls if dry, until pasta is al dente and sauce thickens and clings to pasta, about 5 minutes. Fold in the spinach.  Season with salt and pepper. Transfer individual serving bowls. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over.