Spicy Pasta with Tomatoes

|   Yield: 6   |   Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 11 (12-ounce) package orecchiette or small shells pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons spicy harissa (such as Mina), plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 pint multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint, plus more for garnish
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

Optional Items:

• 12 ounces fresh merguez or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup very thinly sliced zucchini and/or yellow crookneck squash

Suggested Pairing:

Spicy Southern Italian red.

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted water until very al dente (about 2 minutes less than package directions). Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Set pasta and cooking liquid aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add sausage in 1-inch clumps, and cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Stir and cook, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain and discard drippings, reserving cooked sausage and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.
3. Add harissa to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt, cooked pasta, and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until a creamy sauce forms and coats pasta, about 3 minutes, gradually stirring in remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid as needed to reach desired consistency. Remove from heat.
4. Scatter sliced squash and mint over pasta. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and toss to combine. Let stand until squash is slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with harissa and salt to taste.
5. Divide pasta among bowls, and top evenly with feta; garnish with sliced mint.
6. (Optional): Add sausage in 1-inch clumps, and cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. Stir and cook, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain and discard drippings, reserving cooked sausage and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.
7. (Optional): Scatter sliced squash and mint over pasta. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and toss to combine. Let stand until squash is slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with harissa and salt to taste.