Italian Dinner!!!

Fresh Fettuccine with Hot Italian Sausage!

Appetizer:

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Drizzle!
24 month aged Prosciutto!

Dinner tonight is being completely sponsored by Eataly! Check it out on 23rd and 5th! YUM

Nothing better than some refreshing Pellegrino with lemon!

OK - for the Caprese - This could not be easier! Slice up two vine ripe tomatoes, tear off a handful of basil leaves and get one medium ball of fresh mozzarella in water. They actually make their mozzarella right where you buy it in Eataly! Very cool to watch them pulling the cheese and form it in a ball. Arrange the slices as seen below - finish with some kosher salt, pepper, drizzle of olive oil & balsamic!

MMmmm - a simple plate of prosciutto slices is even easier! Serve with bread sticks or cheese and crackers!

Now for the main dish... (good for 2 people)

You will need:

1 pound fresh pasta (I used Fettuccine)

good jar of tomato basil sauce

4 hot Italian sausages

First, simmer the sausages in a small amount of water (enough to cover about a 1/3 of the sausage). Cover the pot and cook for about 8 minutes on medium heat. Turn them once about half way through.

Once they have cool a couple minutes, slice them in half because we're going to finish them on the grill.

Find a nice Italian wine to go with dinner! Let it decant for a little while before you drink it...

I guess I'll cook in the kitchen while Daddy John and Taz fold the laundry... and the way Taz likes to fold laundry involves laying all over the warm, clean clothes - he's really good at it!

*At this point, make sure you have a large pot of water (salt the water with a few generous pinches) and bring it to a boil.

Get the grill pan nice and hot. The sausages are mostly cooked, but this will finish them off and give great grill marks! They might only need about 2 minutes, then turn for another 2 minutes - this gives the crossing lines. You can flip them over for another minute or two also.

When the water is boiling, add the pasta and stir it for about 10 seconds. Fresh pasta only takes about 3 minutes to cook!

After three minutes, drain the pasta and put it in a pot where the jar of sauce has been simmering on low. This will keep the pasta nice and hot - and some of the sauce will really work its way into the pasta!