Gemelli with Fennel and Hot Sausage

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3/4 pound hot italian sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large bulb fennel, cut into strips
1 large onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced on an angle
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound gemelli pasta
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. On a baking sheet, toss the sausage, fennel, onion and carrots with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.

3. Add the sausage-vegetable mixture to the pasta. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to the baking sheet, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to the pasta mixture. Toss in the parsley; season with salt and pepper

Comments:
I subbed some celery for the fennel since neither of us dig the anise flavor. It worked out fine. It's a teensy bit spicy for me, but Adam liked it. I used some Creste di Gallo pasta we got for Christmas since I didn't have gemelli and I thought it was a neat shape. Looks like little Stegosauruses. But that might just be me...