Rigatoni with Sausage and Spinach in a 4 Cheese Sauce

If your family likes an Alfredo sauce, this recipe is for you.  I like this sauce with a short pasta so I use rigatoni, but any short pasta will do. It's also a delicious way to sneak in greens!  I buy the Four Cheese Blend in the deli of my grocery store already shredded, which makes this recipe even easier. If you can't find it already shredded, shred the cheese yourself.  It's worth it! The four cheeses are Provolone, Asiago, Romano and Parmesan. I love a Savignon Blanc or a Chianti with this dish. Cheers!

Serves 4

1/2 Lb. ground Italian Sausage.

4 cloves of minced garlic.

1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

1/2 cup butter.

1 cup Half and Half.

1/2 cup Heavy cream.

1 cup Shredded Four Cheese Blend cheese. Plus some extra to top at the end.

5 oz. fresh Spinach leaves.

1/2 tsp. Pepper.

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper flakes.

1 Lb. Rigatoni pasta.

Cook Pasta to al dente (about 2 min. short of box directions).   Pasta will finish cooking in sauce.

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce pan.  Add the sausage, pepper and red pepper flakes and break sausage up while it is browning. Add garlic to the pan when the sausage is almost done.  Don't let garlic burn. Once sausage has browned, transfer it to a bowl.  In the same sauce pan, melt butter.  Once butter is melted, add half and half and cream. Have the heat on medium high.  Once the cream and butter mixture is heated, add cheese and lower heat to low. When the cheese is smooth and melted, add sausage and cooked pasta to the sauce pan and combine.  Top with fresh spinach and cover. Cook on medium heat for 2-4 minutes until spinach wilts.  Take cover off and mix well. Top with more cheese if you like.


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