Spinach Stuffed Sausage with Farfalle Pasta

Spinach Filling:
8 - 10 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
3 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 oz. fine bread crumbs
2 0z. white mushrooms, fine dice
1 egg
1 Tbs. olive oil
salt to taste

Sauce:
16 oz. tomato puree
12 oz. chopped seeded tomatoes
3 oz. onion, fine dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz. flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 oz. half and half
salt and sugar to taste (about 1 tsp. of each)

Pasta:
1 lb. farfalle pasta

Garnish:
chiffonade of basil
pine nuts

1. Begin preparing the sauce by sautéing onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes (be careful not to brown).
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice, bring to a boil.
3. Add the tomato puree, salt, sugar, and parsley, and ring back to a boil. Simmer approximately 20 minutes to blend the flavors.
4. Begin to prepare spinach mixture with remaining ingredients. The consistency of the mixture should be slightly firm. Adjust with bread crumbs if necessary.
5. Using a roll and cut technique, cut the sausage links to that they lay flat.
6. Spread each link with a 1/4 inch layer of spinach filling.
7. Roll up sausage tightly. No tying should be necessary as filling should hold link closed.
8. Sauté sausage, seam side down, to sear the seam closed.
9. Transfer to baking pan just large enough to hold links snug together. Add sauce, cover, and bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
10. Cook the pasta by boiling the pasta in salted water until al dente.
11. When the sausage is heated through, remove from sauce to warm plate.
12. Heat up some tomato sauce in a sauté pan, and add cream.
13. Toss the pasta with the heated sauce. Place this into a bowl.
14. Slice the heated sausage on a on angle and place on top of the pasta.
15. Garnish with basil and pine nuts.