Spontaneous Spaghetti

Remember how I told you that I'm really good at cooking but I'm really bad at food photography?  Well, it's still true - especially at this time of year, when everything I make is entirely delicious but generally unattractive.  That's what happens when you cook autumnal dishes like stews and thick sauces which, more than spring or summer meals, highlight the need for food styling skills because they're really mostly just brown and lumpy.

And, even though the photos I took of it look distinctly unappealing, I've decided that it's finally time to share my recipe for Spontaneous Spaghetti.  To make you understand how wonderful it is, I'm going to use two gorgeous images from superstar food sites to illustrate something similar to the finished product - otherwise you might not believe me when I tell you that this dish is perfect for those cooler nights when you need something quick and comforting.  (The steps you have to take are so not pretty that I couldn't even find professional photos to demonstrate.  Sorry.  But - hallelujah - it means it's not just me having this problem!)

I used what I had to hand, as can you; almost all of these ingredients can be subbed out for whatever you have in the fridge.  Basically, this recipe is more of a rough outline that might help you get some inspiration for your future spontaneous pasta dishes!

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Spontaneous Spaghetti
serves 3 with leftovers

half a box of spaghetti (almost any pasta will work for this - try orecchiette, which scoops up the sauce well)
3 sausages (I used chicken sausage with sundried tomatoes and basil; plain pork will probably be a bit boring)
2 tbs minced garlic (take the shortcut and buy pre-minced garlic)
bag fresh spinach (doesn't matter which green leaves you pick - this could be good with kale or broccoli rabe)
tub sundried tomato pesto (bought, but you can make your own with this recipe or use green pesto)
grated Parmesean
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Drizzle olive oil into a deep pan or Dutch oven and, over medium-high heat, sauté the garlic for a few minutes.  Remove the sausage meat from the casings, and add to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until crumbled and browned.  Meanwhile, boil the water and cook the pasta until al dente.  While the pasta is draining, toss your greens in the meat pan and cook for a minute or two, until wilted.  Throw in the pesto, adding salt and pepper as needed, and then the cooked pasta, with the heat still on medium-high, and mix well to coat it with the sauce.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with grated Parmesean.  Serve with a glass of wine and enjoy!

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By the way, if you want actual Italian food devised, styled, and cooked by an actual American living in Italy, you should go buy Marissa's e-cookbook here.  She's the expert at this sort of thing!  Also, Whitney posted a delicious pasta recipe yesterday.  Check that out, too!  And tell me how you make spontaneous spaghetti - since I made something similar to this last summer, you know I'm still on the hunt for new ideas.