Pasta with Sausage & Summer Vegetables

A savory pasta dish with loads of veggies and... parent alert... kids will eat it.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves:   6 with high probability of leftovers

INGREDIENTS
1 lb whole wheat pasta (your favorite)
1 lb ground Italian sausage
2-3 fresh sweet peppers, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small zucchini squash chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 - 1 1/2 cups tomatoes chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (halved grape tomatoes are great)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
Shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Cook your pasta.  While the water is heating for the pasta, cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Add the peppers and zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes.  Then add the tomatoes and the basil and cook for another minute or two, or until the sausage is done.  Drain the fat.

Drain the pasta when al dente, and distribute to serving plates, topping with the sausage-vegetable mixture and shredded Parmesan.

Serve with a dry Italian red wine, take a bite, sit back, close your eyes, and picture the olive groves around the village of Pienza spread below you.  In this picture the name of the dish might be Pasta con salsiccia e verdure l'estate (Italian subject to correction).

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick