Cavatappi Pasta With Mushrooms and Sausage

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3/4 teaspoon
• 3/4 cup dry Marsala wine 
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 pound cavatappi pasta
• 1 pound of a pork sausage (ie: garlic and pepper)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan 
• 1 cup cream
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove sausage from casing and cook in skillet on medium/high heat till cooked through (about 10 mins) and set aside.  Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes then add the parmesan and cream.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, marsala and onions, parmesan and cream and sausage and cook about 3 more minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Adapted from Giada.