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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Tony’s Pasta

    By Chula King · September 14, 2016 · Updated April 9, 2021 Leave a Comment

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    Simple to make, and bursting with flavor. It will not disappoint.

    Years ago a colleague named Tony (who by the way was Italian), brought an incredible pasta dish to an office gathering. I asked him for the recipe and he graciously agreed. The last time that I remember making Tony’s Pasta was in 1991 (yes, I’m that old!) for a family gathering. I honestly don’t know why I haven’t made it again until now, but I guess that’s life. This amazing pasta sauce is bursting with flavor and simple to make. It will not disappoint!

    Tony's Pasta

    Ingredients 

    I used the following ingredients for Tony’s Pasta: Sweet Italian Sausage, olive oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic, fresh mushrooms, salt, dried oregano, dried basil, fennel seeds, petit diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.

    ingredients

    Making Tony’s Pasta 

    I started by forming the the Italian sausage into 1-inch balls. Then I placed them on a baking sheet with sides, lined with non-stick aluminum foil, and cooked them in the oven at 350º F for 30 minutes.

    Sausage Balls ready to cook

    After I removed the meatballs from the oven, I drained them thoroughly on paper towels, and pressed each one between paper towels to remove as much grease as possible.

    squeezing grease from meatballs

    While the sausage was cooking in the oven, I heated a bit of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, and cooked the onions and bell pepper for about 8 minutes, until the onions began to look transparent. Then I added the garlic and cooked the mixture for about 30 seconds more, until the garlic was fragrant. Next I added the mushrooms and continued cooking the mixture for several minutes more.

    Adding mushrooms

    Finally, I added the seasonings, tomatoes, and tomato paste, stirring to combine everything. I thought that the sauce was too thick, so I added about a half a can of water to thin it out a bit.

    Adding water

    I added the meatballs, covered the skillet, and cooked the sauce over low heat for about an hour.

    Finished sauce

    I tasted the sauce and added a bit more salt. I served the sauce over Rotini with a freshly made baguette. Yum!

    Brimming with flavor and simple to make. It will not disappoint!

    If you’re looking to try some more pasta sauces, check out my Sausage Ragu, Marinara Sauce, or Bolognese Sauce.

    I hope you liked this recipe for Tony’s Pasta as much as I do. If so, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. Also, if you’d like to receive notifications of new posts by email, ever your email address in the Subscribe box.

    Thank you so much for visiting Pudge Factor. I hope you’ll come back!

    Simple to make, and bursting with flavor. It will not disappoint.

    Tony’s Pasta

    Years ago a colleague named Tony (who by the way was Italian), brought an incredible pasta dish to an office gathering. I asked him for the recipe, and he graciously agreed. The last time that I remember making Tony’s Pasta was in 1991 (yes, I’m that old!) for a family gathering. I honestly don’t know why I haven’t made it again until now, but I guess that’s life. Tony's Pasta is bursting with flavor, and simple to make. It will not disappoint!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 630kcal
    Author: Chula King

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage casings removed
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 1 medium bell pepper seeded and chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic crushed
    • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon dried basil
    • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 14.5 ounce can petit diced tomatoes
    • 6 ounce can tomato paste
    • Parmesan cheese for garnish optional
    • 16 ounces Rotini or other pasta cooked according to package directions

    Instructions

    • Meatballs: Form Italian Sausage into 1-inch balls. Place on a baking sheet with sides, lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Cook at 350º F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain thoroughly on paper towels, pressing as much grease as possible from cooked meatballs.
    • Sauce: Heat olive oil to a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions, and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat until onion begins to look transparent (8 to 10 minutes). Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds, or until garlic is fragrant. Add mushrooms and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the seasonings, petit diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. (If sauce is too thick add a small amount of water.) Cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Add meatballs and cook over low heat for 30 minutes (or longer if desired). Correct seasonings.
    • If desired, garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese
    • Serve with pasta (rotini or ziti), a fresh baguette, a tossed green salad, and a light red wine such as Beaujolais.
    • Yield: 6 servings.

    Chula's Expert Tips

    NOTE: This freezes well. The flavor improves if made the day before and reheated before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 32.6mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below and/or give this recipe a rating. On Instagram? Take a picture and tag @pudgefactor or #pudgefactor.
    Simple to make, and bursting with flavor. It will not disappoint.

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    Filed Under: Meats, Pasta, Sauces

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    Chula King is an award-winning photographer and videographer behind Pudge Factor. She’s a professor by day and foodie by night, showcasing her favorite tried and true recipes.

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