Nick's Special Red Wine Pasta Sauce

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1 lb. hot Italian sausage, sliced in 1/2" pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbl. garlic, chopped
2 c. Grebennikoff Merlot
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 8 oz. container basil pesto
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. dry pasta, cooked as pkg. directs


In a large non-stick saute pan, cook the sausage with 1/4 c. of red wine over med.low heat. When the sausage is almost cooked and the wine is mostly evaporated, add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and parsley. Add 3/4 c. more red wine and the Italian seasoning. Simmer gently, uncovered, until vegetables are cooked and most of the wine is reduced. Add another 3/4 c. red wine and reduce by about a third. Add the remaining 1/4 c. wine, cover, and simmer very gently for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain well. Just before serving, add the basil pesto to the sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta and serve with parmesan cheese. Serves 4.