One-pot pasta with sausage, mushrooms and peas

Makes: 4 servings

1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

2 shallots, chopped

1 1⁄ teaspoons table salt

4

1 teaspoon pepper

1⁄ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4

1⁄ cup dry white wine

2

12 ounces (4 1⁄ cups) medium pasta shells

2

4 cups water

2 cups frozen peas

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated ( 1⁄ cup), plus extra for serving

2

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving

1. In a large Dutch oven set over high heat, cook the mushrooms, sausage, shallots, salt, pepper and pepper flakes, stirring mixture frequently and breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until liquid has evaporated and browned bits have formed on bottom of pot, about 15 minutes.

2. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in pasta and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes (some liquid will remain in the bottom of the pot).

4. Off heat, add the peas, basil, Parmesan and lemon zest. Stir vigorously for 1 minute, until sauce has thickened. Serve, passing lemon wedges and extra Parmesan separately.

Recipe notes: You can substitute white mushrooms for the cremini mushrooms and 12 ounces (3 1⁄ cups) of orecchiette for the medium

3 pasta shells, if desired. The pasta will not absorb all the cooking liquid in Step 2; stirring vigorously in Step 3 helps thicken the sauce so it will coat the pasta.

For a nonalcoholic version, substitute 1⁄ cup of water for the wine in

2

Step 2 and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with the lemon zest in Step 3. There is no need to thaw the peas.