Orechiette with Sausage, Beans, and Mascarpone

I spent my entire day Sunday watching Food Network. I was hooked! From time to time I catch a recipe that I would want to cook, but then as soon as the show is over I forget what it was.

Luckily, I got my pen and paper out today. Giada put together a great Orechiette with Sausage, Beans, and Mascarpone dish. I've never cooked with cannellini beans but love the taste so I was pumped to try this out. While meal is visually one-dimensional with poor photo quality, it tasted delicious! I loved the creaminess of the mascarpone with the sausage and beans. It created a perfect balance.


Recipe:
1 lb orechiette pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb turkey sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, chopped
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinced
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
2) In a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onions. Using a wooden spoon break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it browns.
3) Continue cooking until the sausage is golden and the onions are tender. Add the beans and oregano cook for 2 more minutes. Add the cup of pasta cooking liquid and stir, scrapping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until it dissolved into a light sauce. Add the salt, pepper, and hot pasta. Stir until coated and serve.