Pasta Rustica al Vino Rosso

Pasta Rustica al Vino Rosso and Kathryn Dunn Interview

This week on Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders. Host Charlie sits down with Kathryn Dunn. She is the new President and Chief Visioning Officer of WWBIC. They discuss her Milwaukee roots and long career in philanthropy. Her vision for expanding access to capital and business training is also addressed.

You can also listen to the audio version of this episode here –

They also prepare a fresh tomato-and-pepper pasta with Italian sausage, sharing the personal story behind the recipe.

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) Website – https://www.wwbic.com/

Pasta Rustica

Pasta rustica is a hearty, rustic Italian-American dish that brings together bold flavors in a satisfying way. Here’s what makes it special:

The dish typically features Italian sausage. Often, both sweet and hot varieties are used. The sausage is browned and crumbled. It is then combined with penne pasta in a robust tomato-based sauce. The sauce gains depth from sautéed onions and bell peppers. These are usually red or a mix of colors. They are cooked until soft and slightly caramelized to add sweetness.

Pasta Rustica Flavor Profile

The flavor profile is savory and slightly sweet. The fennel and garlic notes from the sausage play against the natural sweetness of the peppers and onions. Some versions include red pepper flakes for heat, garlic for punch, and Italian herbs like basil or oregano. A splash of white wine or chicken broth often goes into the sauce for added complexity.

The beauty of pasta rustica is its “rustic” nature. It’s meant to be a straightforward, comforting one-pan meal. It’s filling and flavorful without being fussy. The chunky vegetables and sausage cling to the penne’s ridges, making every bite satisfying.

It’s the dish that’s perfect for feeding a crowd, weeknight dinners, or meal prep since it reheats beautifully. Many people finish it with a sprinkle of Parmesan or fresh basil.

Here’s a quick, no‑nonsense pasta tutorial you can use anytime, simple enough for a weeknight

🍝 The Fast, Foolproof Pasta Method

1. Boil your water

• In a big pot of water
• generous salt
• rolling boil

Fill a large pot, salt it until it tastes like a mild broth, and bring it to a lively boil. This is what seasons the pasta from the inside out.

2. Add your pasta

• stir right away
• Cook to al dente
• taste instead of timing

Drop the pasta and stir so it doesn’t stick. Start tasting a minute before the box says it’s done — you want a firm bite, not mush.

3. Save some pasta water

• starchy liquid
• sauce thickener
• silky finish

Before draining, scoop out a cup of that cloudy water. It’s liquid gold for making sauces cling beautifully.

4. Drain — but don’t rinse

• no rinsing
• keep it hot
• Go straight to the sauce

Rinsing washes away starch, which you want for good sauce texture.

5. Combine with the sauce

• Toss in the pan
• Add pasta water as needed
• finish with fat

Warm your sauce in a pan, add the pasta, toss, and splash in pasta water until it’s glossy. Finish with olive oil, butter, or cheese.

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If you like this recipe, Pasta Rustica, you will also enjoy trying our other recipes. This is our recipe for Easy Paella. Or if you are looking for an easy breakfast, try these Mickey Mouse Pancakes

Cooking Secrets for Men in the News

We have been fortunate enough to get positive publicity for our website, YouTube channel, and Social Media presence. Here are a few examples:

Our series, Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, is featured in the “Milwaukee Magazine” May 2023 edition, “Civic Gastronomy”. Click here to read the full article.

A few days later, they were discussing me on the radio. It is a local Foodie show,  “This Bites” on Radio Milwaukee 88.9, featuring dining critic Ann Christenson from Milwaukee Magazine and Radio Milwaukee’s resident foodie, Tarik Moody. My series, Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, is in the show’s first few minutes.

“Cooking Secrets for Men” is on the list of the Top 20 Men’s Cooking Websites on the Internet. You can read that article here. See where we rank for Men’s Cooking Websites.

Cooking Secrets for Men is now on the list of Milwaukee’s Top 50 Foodie Influencers on Instagram.

More Articles

We were featured in a Redfin article! Check it out here: Designing the Perfect Kitchen for Home Cooks.

Shepherd Express (Milwaukee) article on our Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders show – you can read that article here

Good Counsel HS (My Alma Mater) Magazine article about Cooking Secrets for Men – you can read that article here.

Meet Charlie DeSando – featured in the “Voyage Tampa” article, available to read here.

CanvasRebel Magazine Interview, available here.

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