Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, Tomatoes and Peas

I've been a little "under the weather" the past few days, but I was bound and determined to stick to my meal plan for this week! I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite a while now...my parents gave my sister, Sarah and I a special cookbook put out by Sam's Club, called "Favorite Family Dinners". It includes recipes from many famous chefs, including Tyler Florence, who I know so many of you rave about :) This was one of the recipes that immediately caught my eye and then when Sarah made it and posted it on her blog, I knew we had to try it! I was a little nervous to use the spicy Italian sausage, as I've never been a fan of eating anything too spicy, but it honestly was not the least bit overpowering and I wouldn't hesitate to use it again! There were a couple of minor substitutions that I had to make, as I did not quite have the energy to run out to the store and I wasn't about to ask my husband to make another trip out, but the dish still turned out great!

Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, Tomatoes and Peas

4 links spicy Italian sausage (I went ahead and used all 5 that came in the package!)
1 pound dried penne
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves (one of the items I didn't have, so I used the dried)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I substituted half and half, as it was about 1/3 the cost)
2 cups peas, blanched
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sausages in a roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden and just cooked. Cut sausages at an angle into bite-size pieces.

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender yet firm (al dente).

Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent and fragrant. Add tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, then fold in cream and continue to simmer until rich and creamy. Add sausage, blanched peas, pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Fold together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Serve topped with a shower of cheese and garnish with basil.

*TIP: To blanch peas, submerge them into boiling water for 2 1/2 minutes (1 minute for frozen peas), then strain them and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Strain them again and set aside.

Source: Sam's Club Favorite Family Dinners (excerpted from Tyler Florence's cookbook: Dinner at My Place).