KDHamptons is always making new Instafriends on the East End.  One of my FAV foodies I follow is @dinewithant who will be sharing some of culinary adventures with our readers this season.  “I have been spending time out east with family since a child,” shares Anthony Waltz. “I always looked forward to those summer months in East Hampton and the same holds true today. The only difference now is that I love my time spent in the Hamptons year round.  It’s the perfect escape!  I work in Finance in NYC where the days can be so hectic and stressful, so I love to spend a laid back weekend in the country cooking some of my favorite recipes for family and friends.”

Anthony shares two different delicious pasta recipes with mushrooms & sausage for your next Italian night, below..

RIGATONI WITH BACON, SAUSAGE & MIXED MUSHROOMS:

What works about this dish is I literally made it on a typical guest packed weekend. While everyone was showering, I put this together. It was quick, easy and incredibly delicious. And if you like it for dinner, you have to taste it the next day if there are any leftovers!

Ingredients:
1 lb Pasta
1/4 lb Bacon, chopped
1 lb mixed mushrooms sliced (oyster, shiitake, baby bellas)
4 medium shallots, cut in half and then sliced
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream or half and half

“I eagerly anticipate my weekends out East where I can unwind with a glass of my favorite Wolffer wine or a freshly made margarita, spend time with family and friends, dine at some of the finest restaurants or just simply relax at home.  I have a passion for cooking which I picked up from my Sicilian grandmother who taught me so much of what I know in the kitchen. I love to entertain, and most weekends I have a full house!”

PASTA WITH GARLIC, ROSEMARY, & BABY BELLA MUSHROOMS

Directions:
Cook 1 lb of pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water when drained.
Over medium heat in a large frying pan, cook the bacon until browned then set aside to drain on paper towels. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the bacon fat and increase the heat to medium high. Add the mushrooms, shallots, sprinkle of salt, red pepper and cook until the mushrooms are cooked, about 6 or 7 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook about another minute till fragrant. Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom mixture along with the Parmesan cheese and cream (or half and half) and stir well. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen. Season to taste with salt and pepper and plate.

Ingredients:
1 pound baby bella mushrooms
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 scallions, white parts only, chopped
2 teaspoons minced rosemary
1 Tablespoon garlic
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 pound chicken sausage (or pork), grilled and chopped
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 pound pasta
Fresh chopped basil

This was a sauce I made with what I had left in the fridge this weekend. Not only did it clean out my fridge but it made for an amazing dinner. In a skillet over medium heat, I added the oil, red pepper flakes, scallions, rosemary and mushrooms and cooked about 5 minutes until the mushrooms soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute till fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, wine, chicken stock and sausage and boil on medium low heat about 10 minutes. Undercook the pasta about 2 minutes, drain and add to the sauce and continue cooking about another minute or two. Off the heat, add the grated cheese and basil, a drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil and this pasta will be a instant hit.