Fettucine with Sausage Meatballs

I was looking for a quick recipe that our son would appreciate one night when he had a basketball game and could be quickly made when I got home from work.   So if you haven't figured it out yet, that would be anything that includes pasta.  This recipe seemed easy to make in  the time frame we had.  I never realized how easy it is to make sausage meatballs.  Just remove from casing, and roll into the meatball form.  What really made this dish is the simple sauce that when with it.  A very flavor full meal that was kid tested and approved and the fresh fettuccine  was a delicious change.  

 

My Pasta Lover!

Fettuccine with Sausage Meatballs 

Ingredients

1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine

3 (4-ounce) links sweet Italian turkey sausage

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups sliced onions

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce 

1/2 ounce pecorino cheese, grated (about 2 tablespoons packed)

8 basil leaves, torn

Directions

 Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Remove casing from sausages. Shape sausages into 12 (1-inch) balls. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; cook 7 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove the meatballs from pan. Add onions, red pepper, and garlic to pan; sauté for 2 minutes. Return meatballs and add marinara sauce to pan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes or until meatballs are done. Add pasta to sauce mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.