Monday, March 24, 2008

All The Way, With Carbs Today

Sausage and Capsicum Linguine

No matter how bad a rap carbs get, I'm still a staunch advocate for the stuff. How anyone could go on a diet deliberately eschewing the stuff is a mystery to me. Although for the sake of your hips, I do know how the formidable temptation of starch can be too much to bear. And sometimes under the weight of that incredible urge you give in. All the way.

I'm going through a pasta phase right now. And I've had it almost everyday this past week. If there ever was a fixation in my life right now, aside from the shopping thing of course, which probably is more gender-based than anything else, this pasta thing is probably it.

Sausage and Capsicum Linguine

The Italians really knew how to do carbs- with their beautiful breads and pasta, they really knew how to throw a carb party. I know that there's some contention concerning the true the origins of pasta, but it's without myth or lore that the Italians were the ones who made pasta their own art form. Turning this dough of wheat and eggs into a myriad of shapes and forms. If there is an Italian nearby, I suggest you go and give them a kiss.

But enough with public displays of affection; did I mention I have also fostered an addiction to Eumundi Smokehouse sausages. I've mentioned it before, how I go ga-ga over their range of gourmet sausages and not to mention their chorizo. And although a kilo of the Russian Farmer's sausages will set you back over $30; it must be all that Vodka in it, there's no price you should put on good taste.

Eumundi Smokehouse Lamb Merguez Sausages

And you know a good thing when you smell it, as you enter their small shop in Dulwich Hill, you are hit by the aroma of spices and a curtain of smoked meat hanging from a bar suspended above the counter. Everywhere you look it's meat. And there's something to be admired about a butcher who doesn't hold back with the spices and the booze. I say the more the merrier.

Their products are all made of natural ingredients and contain no preservatives. So it's best to eat them as soon as you buy them, which is really nothing to complain about. The sausages I used for this pasta were their lamb merguez sausages, a combination of lamb, red wine, coriander, parsley, pepper, mint and chilli. When fried, it exudes a perfume that rouses the palate and gets any carnivore's attention.

Sausage and Capsicum Linguine

And why not put the two loves together, pasta and sausages. It's simple gourmet, and I'm sure country folk everywhere tending to pasturelands in the back of nowhere have been enjoying the staple of pasta and sausages for a long time wouldn't even bat an eyelid at this dish, but it's classics like these that never go wrong. I'm not sure if an Italian would call this dish a real classic, but it's simple enough with pasta, sausages, tomatoes and a splash of white wine thrown in for good measure.

I can't think of a better way to relieve those autumn cravings for comfort than with a classic pasta dish. You can use pretty much any shape you want, I like slurping my way through it, so linguine was the way to go, but if you prefer the pasta without the loud, sloppy sucking then penne or rigatoni would do just as well.

EUMUNDI SMOKEHOUSE
402 New Canterbury Road,
Dulwich Hill, NSW
Phone: (02) 95690205
Opening Hours: Thur-Fri 11am to 6pm; Sat 7am to 2pm

Their products are also available at a number of gourmet farmers markets and gourmet food stores. Contact Eumundi for more stockists.

Sausage and Capsicum Linguine

Serves 4

Adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller

Sausage and Capsicum Linguine

6 (750g) sausages, skins removed and chopped into 4cm slices
1 red capsicum

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

50g (1⁄4 cup) tomato paste

50ml dry white wine

1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes

sea salt

½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

500g dried linguine

freshly grated parmesan, to serve


Roast the capsicum in a preheated oven at 220ºC for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and peel skin off.
Deseed and cut capsicum into 2cm-wide strips.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add sausages and cook over medium heat, turning, for 5 minutes or until golden.
Transfer sausages to a bowl.
Add onion and garlic and sauté over low-medium heat for 3 minutes or until softened, add chilli and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens, then add sausage, capsicum and white wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat sausages and reducing liquid by half.

Add tomatoes, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce is thick.
Stir through parsley.

Meanwhile, cook linguine in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente.

Drain and transfer linguine to the frying pan and combine with sauce.

Divide sauced linguine among plates and top with any remaining sauce from frying pan and serve with parmesan.

29 comments:

Adrasteia said...

That looks fantastic. I have a bit of a carbohydrate addiction myself and I would love to have a plate of your delicious looking pasta in front of me.

Your beautiful photos always make me hungry!

Anonymous said...

Yum, that looks like my kind of meal! But I'm not a pasta person. How about on couscous? Ali

Niki said...

Mmm pasta... There is no substitute for a good bowl of pasta. None! Looks delicious! :)

Cannelle Et Vanille said...

Those sausages look so good... you are right, there's nothing better than some good, carb loaded plate of pasta! You got it right!

Whatever Dee-Dee wants said...

Now I am hungry! That looks so good!
You got that right about Italians, they sure know their pasta.

browniegirl said...

Goodness Jen that looks really yummy!! I could almost taste and smell those sausages by your description! Well done. I will have to try this recipe but sadly with some local alternative to those gorgeous sausages :)

CookiePie said...

MMMMMMMM... pasta... looks delish! I'm with you -- life is way too short to give up good pasta and bread.

Sarah said...

Oh, I so need to eat this!!! It looks delightful!

Steph said...

"...aside from the shopping thing of course, which probably is more gender-based than anything else..."

LOVE this. hahah Yes!

jasmine said...

I'm a big fan of carbs. As much as some people want us to believe we don't need them, I think we do, we just need to ensure we don't eat a kilo per sitting...which makes me cluck at people who "are off carbs this week" because they need to fit into a dress or they couldn't control themselves over the weekend.

j

Brilynn said...

I think my life is a perpetual pasta fixation... this looks awesome!

OohLookBel said...

Agree with what everyone else says - you can't go wrong with pasta. Does Martha do pasta?
And gorgeous photos as usual!

spicyicecream said...

I saw this recipe recently on the Gourmet Traveller website and vowed to try it. It looks so yummy :)

Anonymous said...

I understand your love for gourmet sausages. I always have to stop and stare at their beauty when I go to my butcher. The linguine looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

oh jenjen, those flavors i can hell are just perfect together. us Italians really do know how to do carbs, yum!

Aimée said...

This looks like a meal our whole family could sink their teeth into- and that is saying a lot, with all our picky eaters and everything.
Beautiful photos.

Anonymous said...

I can't say no to pasta. I love them especially when they are easy to prepare.

Anonymous said...

it's true! if we italians do anything well, it's carbohydrates and pork products. and this is a delicious marriage of the two! on behalf of my people, i accept all your adulations.

Nina Timm said...

What lovely photo's and the combonation of tastes - you're a genius!!!

Mari said...

Oh those sausages make my mouth water!!!

Anonymous said...

Lovely colours, Jen - The sausage/Rosemary thing is amazing.

Anonymous said...

Hi there,

Just wanted to let you know that I loved your recipe! It is included in round up of the best recipes on the web over at Blissfully Domestic today. Thanks for the great recipe!! :)

http://www.blissfullydomestic.com/2008/03/link-list---r-2.html

Jerry said...

I support carbs 100%, especially pasta. If only I was Italian.

ChichaJo said...

Beautiful photos as usual! :) And a awesome tribute to carbs -- which I could never give up either :) I'll be trying this soon -- love pasta with sausage!

FrancescoP said...

Nice! I love the photos and their colors.
As italian .... I cannot live without carbs :-)

Katy said...

oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness. that looks just awesome. i could never give carbs up -- i'd so much rather just exercise than live without bread, pasta and sweets!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm - I'm a complete pasta addict, and can't imagine being on a no-carbs regime. That looks fantastic.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic shots Jen, and love the recipe too.

Bonnie said...

I just read the old post about Martha Stewart recipes and I totally agree. She tells you to do things in such a dumb, complicated way, when most of the time there is an easier and just as successful way. I was over her a LONG time ago. Just had to vent!