Thursday is Sarah’s night for cooking. This week she made a pasta dish which was adapted from a recipe from Bon Appetit and then further modified by her and then discussed by the three of us as to what would make it better. The original recipe calls for fava beans which are a lot of work and not readily available. Sarah substituted edamame but we all agreed that the beans were kind of meh in the dish and that kale or spinach would be better. She also used linguine instead of fresh pasta sheets cut into strands or shapes. Dried pasta is much more economical than fresh pasta and less work than making your own. This was a pretty tasty, spicy pasta dish but needed some modification.

Fresh Pasta with Favas, Tomatoes and Sausage
Adapted from Bon Appetit and further modified by us

Serves four.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 pound hot or mild Italian sausages, casings removed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 3/4 cups chopped plum tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes
1 cup shelled fresh fava beans (from about 1 pound), we suggest kale or spinach
3/4 pound fresh pasta sheets cut as desired or strand pasta
2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus additional for passing

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add next onion, garlic and red pepper and sauté until onion is translucent, about six minutes. Add sausages; break up with fork or a flat-ended wooden spoon. Sauté until brown, about three minutes. Add wine; simmer one minute, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes and fava beans or greens. Sauté until tomatoes soften, about five minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot.
Add sauce to pasta. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed if dry, about two minutes. Mix in two tablespoons cheese and transfer pasta to bowl. Serve, passing additional cheese.