Italian · Serves 2
with Parmesan
A bowl of pasta never fails to satisfy—it’s quick, carby, comforting, and our total weeknight go-to. When you add Italian chicken sausage, sweet peas, and Parmesan to the equation, you’ve reached another level of deliciousness entirely. Ready to enjoy bite after bite of twisty gemelli pasta cloaked in this creamy, flavorful, lemon-spiked sauce? We thought so.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Zest and quarter lemon (quarter both lemons for 4 servings). Thinly slice chili, removing seeds for less heat.
Once water is boiling, add gemelli to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4 servings), then drain.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.
Stir half the Tuscan Heat Spice (use all for 4 servings), half the lemon zest, and a pinch of chili and salt (we used ½ tsp; use ¾ tsp for 4) into pan with sausage. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Stir ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (¾ cup for 4 servings) and juice from 1 lemon wedge (2 wedges for 4) into same pan. Bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Turn off heat; stir in cream cheese, half the Parmesan (you’ll use the rest later), and salt. Cook, stirring, until smooth.
Stir gemelli, peas, and 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings) into pan with sauce until peas are warmed through and butter is melted. If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water 1 TBSP at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between bowls. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, lemon zest, and chili if desired. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
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