Rigatoni with Sausage and Peas in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Rich and creamy pasta, with savory sausages and sweet peas. 

Great all-in-one dinner, ready in less than 30 minutes!

Last week I went to dinner to one of my favorite Italian restaurant in Santa Monica, Hostaria del Piccolo. As I've said before, the food here is amazing ... and this is saying a lot, coming from someone who can be quite picky about Italian food! This place is not crazy expensive, as many fancy Italian restaurants around here, and the kids are always welcomed.  My boys really love it too!
One of the dishes that we ordered to share was rigatoni with sausage, peas and creamy tomato sauce. It was absolutely delicious. While eating this pasta, I was trying to savor every bite, to figure out what ingredients were in the sauce.
So, this is what I made last night... and, I have to be honest, it turned out really yummy and quite similar to the original! So from now on, this pasta will definitely be part of the regular menu in my house.

Ingredients: serving 4 people                             Printable Recipe

• half onion, chopped
• 8 oz of ground sausage
• 1.5 cups of crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup of (frozen) peas
• 1/3 cup of heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 12 oz of rigatoni pasta

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Directions:
Step 1: Saute' the chopped onion in a large skillet with the olive oil, over medium-high heat for a few minutes.

Step 2: Add the sausages and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until mostly browned.

Step 3: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. And then cook the pasta as directed on the box.

Step 4: In the meantime, add the crushed tomatoes and the peas to the skillet with the sausage. Salt to taste. Careful that the sausage will be salty already. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes

Step 5: Stir in the heavy cream and cook for a couple of minutes or until the pasta is ready.

Step 6: Drain the pasta, and toss in the skillet with the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Buon Appetito!