Message from Maggie:  We had a friend swing through town for Sunday dinner.  My husband is Italian and asked for a what his family called Sunday gravy.  Rather than a bolognese, I made this spicy sausage vodka sauce.    This was a take on Emeril’s recipe with a few substitutions.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spaghetti (I used gluten free for me and regular for my guests)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, removed from the casing and crumbled or chopped
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 14.5 ounce can tomato puree
• 1/2 cup vodka (I used Tito’s)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
• Fresh basil, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned and all pink has disappeared, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the onions, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree and cook, stirring, until thick, about 8 minutes.
6. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce reduced, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
9. Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly and transfer to a pasta bowl for serving.
10. Top with cheese and sprig of basil and serve immediately.

Allergies:

• This recipe can be made gluten free with gluten free pasta.
• This recipe can be made dairy free by omitting the cheese and heavy cream.

Directions:

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned and all pink has disappeared, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the onions, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree and cook, stirring, until thick, about 8 minutes.
6. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce reduced, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
9. Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly and transfer to a pasta bowl for serving.
10. Top with cheese and sprig of basil and serve immediately.