Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Sausage

I had an awesome meal planned out for tonight: swordfish, roasted veggies and rice. It was to be my first time cooking fish. I'm not a big fish person and recently decided that I should branch out from the usual chicken, pasta or beef meals and try some new things, fish included. Plus, I hear its really good for you. Anyway, apparently swordfish isn't a regular at our grocer. I thought you could just waltz in, pick out a steak and waltz out, but no. I left fish-less. I did pick up the ingredients for this awesome pasta since I've been meaning to blog it anyway. I also spied some awesome tuna steaks so maybe tuna will have to be my fish-premiere.

Edit: Note to self: look up synonyms for "awesome"

 Recipe adapted from the Food Network
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 pound spaghetti
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 link (about 1/2 lb) Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled or chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onions
3/4 tsp salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced garlic
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
4 tbsp vodka
3 tbsp half and half
2 to 3 tbsp chiffonade of fresh basil leaves
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish

Directions:Bring a medium saucepan of salter water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a coriander and return to the saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned and all pink has disappeared, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook , stirring, until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until the sauce reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil and remove from heat.

Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly. Add desired amount of Parmigiano cheese and toss. Transfer to a pasta bowl for serving, serve immediately.

This pasta is really delicious and hearty! It's also quick and easy to make, definitely a good thing to have in your repertoire to throw together in a flash.