October Orecchiette: Pasta with Caramelized Apples, Onions, Sausage, Goat Cheese, and Crisped Mushrooms Topped with Shredded Georgian-Spiced Brussels Sprouts (Patreon)

Ugh this shit is REAL, I am telling you. It is SO GOOD.

The problem is I don’t actually like apples all that much? But I really like apple picking? And toddlers fucking LOVE apple picking? Like, apple is my least favorite pie. Cider is fine, I guess. I just don’t have THAT many things to make with apples before they go bad other than applesauce, but I wanted my bebe to have the full New England autumn experience SO I HAVE A SHIT TON OF APPLES.

So I says to myself, I says, let’s make something savory with apples. I GOT A BOOK WITH APPLES IN THE TITLE COMING OUT TIME TO COMFORT MY OWN SELF.

And I found a basic sort of recipe and then screwed with it until it was unrecognizable like usual and now it is this glorious THING of deliciousness I am giving to you.

You could swap in almost any protein for the sausage, the Georgian spice is Ajika (bought at the VERY FANCY Trader Joe’s) and honestly most of the rest is just stuff that was in the fridge. And I can’t stop eating Brussels sprouts lately, so…they had to play.

JUST TRUST AND EAT. It’s a little multi-step but worth it. Also this made a TON, it took me a week to eat all the leftovers. But you can double it if you feel gluttonous!

Ingredients

2-3 yellow onions

1.5-2 of your favorite apples

5 cloves garlic

Half a bunch fresh parsley

3 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup goat cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 links uncooked sweet Italian sausage

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 box of your favorite mushrooms (seriously any type will work)

3-4 Brussels sprouts, shredded finely

1.5 teaspoons Ajika seasoning

.75 box dried orecchiette pasta

1 cup dry white wine

LEEEEET’S GET AUTUMNAL IN HEEEEERE

First things first, you gotta start the caramelizing early because it’s the only thing that takes forever and you can do all the rest while the magic happens. Slice the onions. Peel, core, and finely dice the apples. Coat a large skillet with the olive oil, remove sausage from casings and break up as you fry until nicely brown and sizzling, about 8 minutes. Remove meat and set aside. Put butter, spices, onions and apples in the skillet and turn heat to its lowest setting, then walk away and watch like a whole episode of Squid Game. Stir it every once in awhile. If it seems like it’s not cooking down much, throw a splash of wine in to speed things up. Its done when everything is cooked down and deep brown. Add water a tablespoon at a time if it starts to burn. The whole process should take 45-60 minutes.

In that time, grate your parmesan, chop parsley fine, and heat your oven to 400. Arrange shredded sprouts evenly on parchment paper, season with Ajika, and roast for 5-8 minutes, checking continuously to make sure they don’t burn, which THEY WILL because they are NAUGHTY and you want brown and crisp but not burnt.

Set aside.

Heat a second skillet to very hot, then turn heat to medium. Melt another tablespoon of butter, then toss the mushrooms in, making sure each one it in contact with the surface. Don’t touch them for at least 3 minutes, until the underside is very brown, then flip. I like to add some thyme, a little chili powder, and salt and pepper to it, but you do you, boo. turn off when mushrooms are brown on both sides.

Make pasta according to package instructions, retain pasta water.

When onion/apple mixture is done, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pasta and turn to coat on low heat. Add cheeses and 1/4 cup pasta water, stirring until the pasta becomes very glossy. Add more water 1/4 cup at a time to loosen and get to a consistency you like. Stir in parsley, maybe toss on a squeeze of lemon if you’re feeling DANGEROUS. Turn off heat.

Add mushrooms in only now at the end so they don’t lose their texture. Top with Brussels sprouts. EMBRACE THE AUTUMN. PERISH IN A FOOD COMA. NO RAGRATS.