Pasta with Caramelized Tomatoes and Sausage

1. 1Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat and, once heated, add sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. 2Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and add tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook, stirring only occasionally, until tender and caramelized, about 3 minutes.
3. 3Cook pasta according to the package directions. When it’s al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water for the sauce. Add pasta water to tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. 4Add drained pasta, red pepper flakes, and cooked sausage to tomato mixture. Stir gently until pasta is well coated with sauce. Serve topped with shavings of Pecorino Romano.

Beverage pairing: Contesa Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vigna Corvino, Italy. The Montepulciano grape makes honest, everyday wines that might not often be spectacular but are simply delicious and food-friendly. This wine has buckets of cherry fruit and an inky, violet edge. Its acidity will keep up with the tomatoes, but it also has enough stuffing to carry on with the sausage.