Mediterranean Bow Ties with Turkey Sausage

This pasta dish sits right at the intersection of Greek and Italian cooking. Turkey sausage and bow tie pasta get tossed in a concentrated tomato sauce spiked with an unexpected ingredient: a cinnamon stick. That warm spice is a signature move in Greek meat sauces, and it adds a subtle depth that tomato and oregano alone can’t achieve.

The sauce starts lean. Turkey sausage, onion, and garlic saute together, then tomato paste diluted with water, dry mustard, oregano, lemon juice, and the cinnamon stick simmer covered for 10 minutes. It’s a thick, clingy sauce rather than a loose, brothy one.

Crumbled feta on top adds a salty, tangy finish that ties the Mediterranean flavors together. The feta softens slightly from the heat of the pasta but doesn’t melt completely, giving every bite creamy, briny pockets.

Kitchen Tips

• Use Italian-style turkey sausage for the best flavor match. Plain turkey sausage needs more seasoning to stand up to the sauce.
• Remove the cinnamon stick before tossing with the pasta. Its job is done after the 10-minute simmer.
• Don’t skip the lemon juice. It brightens the heavy tomato paste and keeps the sauce from tasting flat.
• Toss the hot pasta with the sauce immediately so the farfalle absorbs flavor into its folds.

Variations

• Use pork Italian sausage instead of turkey for a richer, fattier sauce.
• Add a handful of Kalamata olives to the sauce for a more authentically Greek flavor.
• Stir in fresh baby spinach when you add the pasta for a one-pot meal with greens.