Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Feta

Cooked again last night and this time I tapped into some of Cooking Light’s Pasta Presto recipes from 2003 (must remember to bookmark these puppies for the next few weeks). This was another delicious dish that will take you as long to make as it takes you to cook the orecchiette (plus two minutes).

Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers and Feta

Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Feta

8 ounces uncooked orecchiette (“little ear” pasta or ziti or medium shells if you can’t find orecchiette)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices red bell pepper, each cut in half crosswise
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
8 ounces turkey Italian sausage, I used hot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the orecchiette according to package directions, omitting salt and fat (btw, I always salt the water – like the sea). Drain the pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté 2 minutes. Remove casings from the sausage. Add sausage, oregano, and garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until sausage is done, stirring to crumble sausage. Add pasta, reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, olives, and black pepper; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
CALORIES 393 (29% from fat); FAT 12.8g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.6g,poly 2g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 137mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.6g; SODIUM 947mg; PROTEIN 21.6g; FIBER 3.6g

And for my Weight Watcher people, this dish comes in at 8 points. At first I was concerned about 8 points for 1.5 cup portion size but it was quite filling, this with a glass of wine and salad was a real nice weeknight dinner.

Lisa, do they make kosher chicken or turkey sausage? If so, this is a good one.