Mustard is not an ingredient that plays a large role in Italian cuisine, so when I first heard about this recipe I was intrigued. In northern Italy many dishes are inspired by German or Austrian cuisine, where mustard prevails. We lived in Milan, Italy, for eight years and visited northern Italy often. We were surprised by how strong the German influence was on each visit. Usually you hear more German spoken than Italian, so obviously the cuisine will also be influenced by the proximity to Germany.
Mustard is essential to German cuisine, so I imagine this pasta dish is served in the northern regions of Italy. Indeed, it would be unique in central or southern Italy! It was so tasty, though, that I’ll make it again and again, wherever it originated. The mustard is enough to add flavor and flavor to the cream sauce without overpowering the dish. I added sausage and spinach to my version and found that the sausage was perfect for the mustard-flavored sauce. For this dish you can use any shape of short pasta, although I usually prefer penne or rigatoni.
Debora Mele
ingredients
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3 tablespoons of olive oil
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8 ounces sweet or spicy Italian sausage meat
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1 small white onion, finely chopped
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3 cloves of garlic minced
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1 1/2 cups heavy cream
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1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
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1/2 glass of white wine
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Salt and pepper to taste
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4 cups baby spinach
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3/4 Pound Rigatoni or Penne
To serve:
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Pecorino Romano or Grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot full of lightly salted water to boil.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then cook the sausage by breaking it up with two forks until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
- Add the onion and continue to cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook a minute or two longer until fragrant.
- Add the cream, mustard, white wine, salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened.
- Keep warm while you cook the pasta until it is “al dente”.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Add the creamed spinach and sausage mixture to the pasta and stir to combine over medium-high heat.
- If necessary, add a little pasta water to dissolve the sauce until it is covered.
- Serve the pasta in an individual bowl, offering the grated cheese at the table.
Nutritional information:
Product: 4
Portions: 1
Quantity per serving:
Calories: 919Totally fat: 65 gSaturated fats: 31 gTrans fats: 1 gUnsaturated fats: 33 gCholesterol: 168 mgSodium: 1096 mgCarbohydrates: 46 gFiber: 4 gSugar: 6gProtein: 32 g
