Sausage and Arugula Pasta

Isn't arugula fabulous?  I love the somewhat peppery flavor.  Heating it seems to tone down the peppery-ness, but I thought this pasta dish was very good.  The original recipe was found on EatingWell.com.  Oh, and fusilli is my favorite pasta.  It's such a fun shape!

Fusilli with Sausage & Arugula

1 lb whole wheat fusilli
1 lb hot port sausage, casing removed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups arugula
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano
1 tsp ground pepper
olive oil for pan

Cook pasta to desired doneness, drain reserving 2 tbsp of cooking liquid, set aside.

Cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces, until cooked through.  Stir in garlic, arugula and tomatoes.  Cook until the greens wilt and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl combine cheese and pepper.  Whisk in the reserved cooking liquid.  Add pasta and toss to combine.  The cheese really makes this dish in my opinion.

A very simple dish that will warm you up this fall.  Serve with some garlicy toasted bread.

Anyone else loading up on yummy pastas and carbs this season?  I just can't get enough lately.