apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


Judith's Lazy Creamy Penne
Quick Weeknight Meals Recipe Contest 2009

thumbs up

Recipe: Lazy Creamy Penne
How long does it take? 25 minutes
Category: Omnivore
Name: Judith
Why is it a favorite meal? All the ingredients are pantry staples. You can do all the prep while the water is coming to a boil and make the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Plus, clean up is minimal.

 
 

Lazy Creamy Penne
Makes 2 servings

1 T flour
1 c milk
4 oz sausage, uncooked
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 medium tomato
8 oz penne (or your favorite pasta shape)
1 T mustard
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t paprika (sweet or smoked)
pinch of salt

1. Put pasta cooking water on stove to boil.
2. Mix flour and milk. Set aside.
3. Chop sausage in to bite size pieces (about 1/2 inch cubes). Chop onion and tomato. Mince garlic.
4. Water should be boiling now. Add penne.
5. Sauté sausage until cooked, about 1 or 2 minutes. Set aside.
6. Cook garlic and onion in the same pan. If the sausage did not leave sufficient fat in the pan, add about 1/2 T of olive oil or butter (fat is necessary to thicken the sauce).
7. After 2 or 3 minutes (when onion is soft and garlic is just browning) add tomato and cook for about 1 minute more.
8. Add mustard, balsamic vinegar, and paprika to pan and stir for a moment.
9. Add milk and flour mixture. Stir until sauce is thickened.
10. Add salt to taste.
11. Drain penne. Mix with sauce.
12. Yum!

Thanks Judith, and good luck! Readers, give Judith a thumbs up if you like this recipe!

Do you have a great recipe for a fast, nourishing weeknight meal?
Enter our Quick Weeknight Meals Contest!
You could win some fabulous prizes and we'll all collect some great new recipes.

Comments (7)

what is that blob of green in the pan in the fourth photo? is that the mustard? what kind of mustard did you use?

posted by rachpie on September 21st 2009 at 1:01pm
view rachpie's profile

Yeah, the green blob is mustard. I used Maille Mustard with 3 Herbs (since I was out of Dijon). -Judith

posted by judithdj on September 21st 2009 at 1:33pm
view judithdj's profile

What kind of sausage do you use? I was imagining Italian bulk sausage, but what you've got in the pan appears to be hard sausage instead.

posted by UdonNoodles on September 21st 2009 at 3:50pm
view UdonNoodles's profile

This looks yummy for dinner on might's that the kids have ski practice. Thanks!

posted by akbuilt on September 21st 2009 at 5:06pm
view akbuilt's profile

This looks delicious! I can't wait to try it on a cool winter night.
xoxo

posted by Genny on September 21st 2009 at 6:53pm
view Genny's profile

I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I made a few modifications based on what I had on hand: bacon instead of sausage, grape tomatoes instead of a medium tomato, and because I didn't have enough milk, I went half and half milk and chicken broth. It was so good my husband has asked to add this to the regular rotation for dinner!

posted by HandyC on September 22nd 2009 at 9:59pm
view HandyC's profile

Thank you for this fabulous recipe, your husband must be a very happy man .. :)

posted by amontes on September 23rd 2009 at 11:26am
view amontes's profile