Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage

I love really good Italian food. I grew up in a small mining town in northern New Mexico and there were lots of European immigrants. I have fond memories of visiting a little Italian deli on First Street. My neighbor right across the street was from Italy and she use to make the most delicious calzones and pitzels around the holidays. She always sent some over to my family for Christmas. My grandfather was from Greece and was a cheese maker. Not only did he make the most fabulous Greek cheese, he also made Italian cheese. There is nothing better than good homemade cheese. I prefer Parmigiano-Reggiano, imported Italian cheese that is aged for approximately 24 months. The next step up is stravecchio - aged for three years and the stravecchiones which is aged for 4 years. Cheese get's better with age, in my opinion. I inherited my love of great cheese from my dear grandfather. Since I have an appreciation for cheese, it is important that I use a good quality cheese with my Italian food. Good cheese really enhances the flavor of the dish. When buying cheese look for imported Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano, Costco and Sam’s club both carry some great imported varieties. Another local deli I like is Tully’s on San Mateo. They carry a good variety of pasta, sausage and cheese. Please check your local community for Italian Delis, it is great to support local small business whenever possible. As for the sausage I like spicy sausage and my children like sweet sausage. I often buy a little of both, which really adds to the flavor of the sauce. I also like the sausage from Tully’s. Shopping for all the ingredients is have the fun! Bon Appetit,