Pasta with Goat Cheese, Sausage & Peas

This recipe is inspired by a NY Times recipe.  We’ve removed the heavy cream and added sugar snap peas and a bed of Arugula.  The Arugula would be delicious mixed right in with the pasta at the end, if preferred.

This was a very quick, delicious meal on a warm summer day.  Enjoy!

8 ounces dry rotini or pasta of your choice

Extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces sweet Italian sausage

2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

Handful of sugar snap or snow peas, sliced into bite size pieces

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or oregano)

4 ounces creamy goat cheese

Lemon juice

Fresh arugula

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the sausage and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked and crumbled, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add the cabbage, onion and thyme and cook stirring regularly until the cabbage and onions are wilted and start to brown.  Toss in the sliced peas and cook just until the peas become dark green.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in goat cheese and reserved sausage until evenly combined. Stir in the pasta, season to taste with salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Serve over a bed of Arugula tossed with a bit of olive oil, vinegar and/or lemon juice and fresh Parmesan.