Fusilli with Chicken Sausage, Artichokes And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Dinner can feel like a challenge to many people. With my little smarty pants both in school I really wanted to make sure that we have regular family dinners and that I offer a variety of meals to enjoy . I’ve posted several recipes, all of which are family friendly here, here, and here. Now, I’m sharing a dish which impressed not only my Hubs but even the kids cleaned their plate!!  It looks pretty fancy yet is simple and easy to make on a weeknight. Let me know what you think!

Fusilli with Chicken Sausage, Artichoke and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Recipe by Giada DeLaurentis 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, 2 tablespoons of oil reserved
• 1 pound Italian hot sausages, casings removed
• 2 (8-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 16 ounces fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed, optional (I opted out of this and felt the parmesan was enough)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbl. of tomato paste (my addition to the recipe)

Directions:

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and saute over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine,and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. I added in tomato paste as well.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rinse). Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the additional Parmesan cheese alongside.