Go Back
Print

Soujuk Pasta

a comfort pasta dish using halal turkish sausage

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pasta (penne or rigatoni recommended)
  • 1 lb soujuk sausage (zabiha halal)
  • 4 shallots
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tomatoes (to be pureed)
  • 2/3 cup heavy-cream or half and half (optional)
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach (optional)
  • 1/3 cup feta
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Red Pepper Pesto

  • 2 roasted red peppers
  • 2/3 cup toasted almonds (may also use pine nuts)
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 4 anchovies (optional, you can leave out too)
  • 2 small bird's eye red chilies (optional, can leave out)
  • 1 cup parmesan (shredded)
  • 5-7 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt (to taste)

Instructions

Red Pepper Pesto

  1. In a food processor combine the roasted red peppers, chilies, toasted almonds, garlic, parmesan, olive, oil, salt, and pepper and blitz until combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Set aside.

Pasta

  1. Cut the soujuk sausage into quarter bite-size pieces and add to a heated pan. Brown the sausage until light and slightly crispy on the edges.

  2. Remove the soujuk sausage from the pan. In the sausage drippings, add the chopped shallots and sautee.

  3. Once transluscent, add the tomato paste and cook down for a few minutes.

  4. Now add the pesto sauce. Along with about 1/2 cup or so of the pasta water. Stir. Then add the pureed tomatoes.

  5. Feel free to add heavy cream/half-and-half as well and bring to a simmer.

  6. Bring a pot of salty water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. (You can do this simultaneously while making the dish.)

  7. Add the pasta to the sauce and combine. Add the sujuk sausage cooked earlier. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

  8. Turn the heat off and combine a handful of baby spinach. Top the dish with crumbled feta.