Pasta Dorinda

For my Inter-Web-Friend, Dorinda Duclos!! It is great in ANY season by just making adjustments according to the weather! Created for this 'spicy and delectable' woman who is my Facebook Friend and industry colleague, It was very well received by many on the BOOK! So I name it for her and share it with all of you! Email me for tweak ideas! For SOME reason, the nutritional values per serving are INSANELY overblown! I apologize. If you read the ingredients, you'll see that the calculations are off. Buon Appetiti!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

• 1  lb pasta, of your choice cooked and drained
• 1  lb Italian sausage, fresh from the butcher (hot,with Caraway seeds (sliced)
• 1  large onion (diced)
• 6  plum tomatoes (diced) or 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4  garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
• 4  basil leaves (LARGE chopped or Julienned, or three to 8 medium or small)
• 3  tablespoons sweet butter
• 3⁄4 cup  chianti wine, Pinot Noir (or chicken stock) or 3⁄4 cup  Chardonnay wine, depending on your tastes (or chicken stock)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar  chunky marinara sauce (or 4 to 6 cups home made marinara sauce)
• 2  teaspoons cider or 2  teaspoons champagne vinegar or 2  teaspoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1  tablespoon brown sugar
•  oregano, salt, black pepper (optional ( fancy red pepper flakes( to taste.)

Directions

1. Then (in a WOK or GIGANTIC skillet):
2. 3 tbs Pressed Olive oil heated GENTLY on MED.
3. add diced onion, garlic AND sausage together. Increase heat to med. -high -- if you know the cooker.
4. Sweat the onions and sautee the sausage at the same time. Turning CONSTANTLY (every two to 3 minutes). You want the "GOODY" to caramelize on the bottom and sides of the pan. NOT "BURNT OFFERINGS"!
5. When the onions are soft and browned and the sausages are too, ADD Tomatoes and wine to deglaze the pan. Add ALL EXCEPT two tbs. basil and reserve the 2tbs for garnish.
6. ADD Marinara sauce.
7. REDUCE heat to low and simmer until 'sheen' forms on the surface. DO NOT SIMMER SO LONG THAT THE DICED TOMATOES become BLOBS!
8. Then add vinegar and sugar. Add pepper flakes and coat everything well with the mixture. Simmer until pan starts to make it's own juices.
9. THEN add the salt, pepper and oregano. Blend. Adjust seasonings.
10. INCREASE HEAT and Let the sauce reduce and thicken a bit (so that it coats a spoon NICELY).
11. THEN add the butter and the cooked pasta. COAT WELL, plate, and garnish with remaining basil and serve.
12. **** In the winter months, I ADD heavy cream or half and half for 'body'.
13. Serve with a perfectly chilled white/ or room temperature, aerated red wine of your choice. Focaccia bread and whipped butter. Lemon Gelato or Vanilla sorbet or Hazelnut ice cream -- either one, with petite Biscotti.
14. Be DARING with your choice of pasta! Maybe Orechietti or Torteloni or maybe even Orzo -- it's ALL up to YOU!
15. Buon Appetito!