Culinary Council Member and acclaimed Seattle Chef Ethan Stowell recently cruised on Noordam to Alaska for his “Food & Beverage Aficionado Cruise.” During the voyage, he hosted cooking demonstrations, talks and an intimate, reservations-only dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.

During his cooking presentation, Chef Stowell made his delicious Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, and and now we’re sharing his amazing recipe with you!

RIGATONI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce (recipe below)
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 baby artichokes, halved
1 lb. rigatoni pasta
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
Kosher salt
pepper

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE
Makes 6-7 cups

Ingredients:
2 28-oz. cans whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
8-10 fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
pepper

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, crush tomatoes with fingers
2. Over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté garlic until tender, 2-3 minutes
3. Add tomatoes and basil
4. Cook over medium-low heat, 30-40 minutes
5. Season lightly with salt and pepper
6. Use immersion blender, or food processor, to create a rough purée

Preparation:
1. Over medium heat, sauté sausage in the olive oil until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes
2. Add Basic Tomato Sauce and cook until flavors blend, 8-10 minutes
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package, or al dente. Drain immediately

Plating:
1. Add drained pasta to the pan with sauce
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Divide into 4 bowls
4. Garnish to taste with Parmigiano-Reggiano and artichoke

Enjoy! Let us know if you make this dish at home.