Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Smoked Mozzarella

Note to self: next time a recipe calls to shred whole peeled tomatoes with your fingers into a pan, don't wear a white shirt...

I ended up changing a few things to this recipe, but it was very yummy! I would like to try it another time and follow the recipe as it says. I didn't change anything major, just a few things.

I had decided to get ground turkey sausage instead of links, and when I went to the store I accidentally got regular ground sausage. The sausage still added a terrific flavor to the meal, but I would like to try it again with turkey sausage links. Another thing I changed was use regular mozzarella instead of smoked mozzarella. This was not a change I was happy about! If you have been following my food blog, then you know how much I love cheese. The day that I discovered smoked gouda was a very exciting day for me! I went to two different grocery stores looking for smoked mozzarella, but sadly, there was none to be found. I came very close to getting smoked gouda, but because gouda is a harder cheese than mozzarella, I figured it probably wouldn't soften properly when stirred into the dish. It still tasted good, but I bet it would have been awesome with smoked mozzarella!

I also used angel hair pasta instead of rotini (because that was what we already had at the house) and added a little more than a pinch of the red pepper flakes. I used to not be able to stand spicy food, but I've been using red pepper flakes more and more lately and I'm starting to fall in love with the flavor! Overall, a very good, easy to fix, meal. Another one of those great, quick, weeknight meals the whole family will enjoy!

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Smoked Mozzarella
Total time: less than 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 14-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 pound Italian turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 pound rotini pasta (corkscrew pasta)
salt
3 ounces smoked Mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
2. Add the tomatoes to the pan, shredding them with your fingers as you add them to the pan. Include the juices. Add the sausage and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on medium high for 20  minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
3. While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a teaspoon and a half of salt for every quart of water. Cook the pasta according to pasta package instructions, until al dente, or cooked through, but still a bit firm. Drain the water from the pasta. Combine the pasta and the sauce in a large serving bowl.
4. Stir in the cubed smoked mozzarella cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese has softened and is a bit melty. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.