Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, stirring to crumble. Add shallots and mushrooms and cook until shallots and mushrooms are soft and sausage is fully cooked.

Add wine and bay leaf to pan with sausage, shallots and mushrooms, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes

While wine is reducing, prepare pasta according to package directions, reserving ⅓ cup cooking liquid. Drain and set aside.

Add cream, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and nutmeg to wine-sausage mixture in pan and stir to combine. Continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes to slightly thicken sauce. Add cooked pasta to the sausage sauce and stir until combined and heated through. If necessary, thin sauce with reserved cooking liquid, one tablespoon at a time.

Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and extra crushed red pepper flakes.