Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

I didn't plant any tomatoes in my garden this year but thanks to some wonderful neighbors, we have had plenty of homegrown tomatoes in our kitchen this summer.  There is just nothing that compares to a "fresh from the garden" tomato. ​

​I decided to come up with my own simple pasta dish to really highlight these fresh tomatoes.  I looked in my refrigerator to see what other ingredients I had on hand: great Parmesan cheese, fresh spinach and turkey sausage.  In my pantry I found a box of whole wheat penne and a couple cloves of garlic - perfect.  I gathered up my ingredients and got to work.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
1 pound whole wheat pasta
1 pound mild turkey sausage, removed from casings
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
2 cups fresh tomatoes, grape or cherry, sliced in half
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil 

​Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining pasta.

​In large skillet, brown sausage until no longer pink.

​Add garlic, spinach and tomatoes.  Cook 5 minutes or until spinach wilts.

​In serving bowl, grate 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

​Add 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Add reserved pasta water and 1 teaspoon olive oil.

​Stir in drained pasta.

​Stir in sausage mixture.  Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.

​The pasta was fantastic.  The plan was to open a bottle of wine to enjoy with this carbohydrate meal but we were so hungry that there was no time for wine.  We dove right in and started eating the pasta and before we knew it, dinner was over.  If you've got a garden full of tomatoes (or generous neighbors) you need to give this easy and delicious pasta dish a try.
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Ciao!

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