Modified comfort food is just as good.

After experimenting with the Turkey Tetrazzini "Cream" sauce, I decided to expand my horizons and use the cream sauce as a base for other dishes. On Valentine's Day, I wanted to surprise my sweetie with a delicious, but non-stomachache causing dish to satisfy us both. This lead me to the creation of my "creamy" tomato sauce.

The pink hue of the dish just happened to be a delightful coincidence :)

Suz's "Creamy" Tomato Pasta with Sausage
Serves approximately: 4-6
Equipment:
Medium sized casserole dish
Skillet

Ingredients:
1/4 cup and 1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup fresh thyme, extra for garnish
3 sausage links (I used spicy pork sausage)
10 ounces pasta (I used spirals)
3 T. flour
1 1/2 - 2 cups rice milk
1 12 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

In a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-low heat, heat the 1 T. olive oil, adding the sausage and onions once hot. While continuing to stir the onions, allow the sausage to brown on the outside, then take out of skillet and slice the links into bite sized pieces. Put these pieces back into the skillet to finish cooking. Once the sausage is cooked and the onions are translucent, stir in the wine and fresh thyme and cook until all of the wine has been absorbed. Remove the contents from skillet and place into the casserole dish.

Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain, toss with a small amouint of oil, and set aside.

In the same heavy bottomed skillet used to cook the onions and sausage, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Whisking constantly, add the flour and cook until the mixture gives off a slightly toasted aroma (about 1-2 minutes). Stirring constantly, gradually add the rice milk to the pan (the mixture will bubble and fizzle). Add the salt and cook until the mixture is thickened slightly. Once you've created this thick "cream" sauce, add the can of diced tomatoes to the mixture. Allow the sauce mixture to simmer for 5-10 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.

In the casserole dish, toss the pasta with the onion-sausage mixture and the sauce.

Serve hot, garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if desired.