Mushroom Agnolotti with Bean and Sausage Sauce

What are these pasta recipes doing on a blog about desserts? Well, we bakers DO eat real food, too! And who can resist a contest where the prize is a set of All-Clad copper core pots. I had such good success with my first recipe using Buitoni’s new pasta products, that I was thrilled to receive my package of their new mushroom agnolotti. Thank you to Foodbuzz and Buitoni for introducing me to these wonderfully plump mushroom half-moons. In this recipe I've paired them with a melange of diced tomatoes, beans, sausage and zucchini

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 zucchini, washed and cut into small dice (leave the skin on for lovely color)
Seasoned salt to taste

1/2 cup diced sweet onions (or more to taste)
1 cup mushrooms, washed dried and sliced into 1/8-inch pieces
6 uncooked breakfast sausages (preferably turkey)

1/3 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
14-ounce can kidney or mixed beans, drained
1/2 cup water

3 packages of Buitoni™ Wild Mushroom Agnolotti
3/4 cup coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (or to taste)

Have ready a large pot of boiling water, seasoned with 1 teaspoon of salt.

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the zucchini, season with seasoned salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini just starts to brown. Remove and set aside.

Add another teaspoon or two of olive oil to the hot pan, add the onions and mushrooms, reduce the heat and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and have lost some of their water, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add another teaspoon or two of olive oil to the pan and add the sausages. Let them brown on all sides (medium to high heat) and then remove them from the pan. Slice the sausages into 1/4-inch rounds.

Return them to the pan and let them lightly brown, about 1 minute. If there is any excess oil in the pan, it can be blotted out, if desired.

Add the vermouth or wine to the hot pan, scraping up all of the browned bits in the pan. Cook until the vermouth is almost completely evaporated out of the pan. Reduce the heat, add back in the zucchini, onions, mushrooms and sausages. Add the tomatoes, basil, sage, beans and water. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

About 6 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook the agnolotti in the boiling water, following the package directions.

Just before serving add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water into the sauce. Spoon the agnolotti into 6 bowls. Top with sauce and fresh cheese, to taste.