Black Rock Closing/ Sausage Pesto Pasta

One of our favorite places to eat in town, is Black Rock Pizza Company. It's a local bar that serves pizza and other typical bar fare. Unfortunately for us, the bar closed on Friday but we were lucky enough to spend one last night with our favorite bar. It's so bittersweet to have such a great time at one of your most treasured spots for the last time.

Boyfriend, me and his sister

Boyfriend's drinks in his special glasses

The girls playing bartender with our actual bartender, Christine

The ladies, since the boys were too drunk

One of my favorite pizzas from the bar is the Pesto Pizza. A thin crust concoction with pesto sauce instead of typical marinara, topped with spicy Italian sausage, and artichoke hearts. The spicy salty sausage with the herbaceous pesto make the pizza hearty and delicious. This combo inspired a pasta dish, comforting but still approachable.

Sausage Pesto Pasta

1/2 lb pasta, I used tri-colored rotini
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/4 13 oz turkey kielbasa, sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 roma tomato, diced
3 tbsp pre-made pesto
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp Parmesan, grated
1 tbsp red pepper flake
salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and cook pasta until al dente, 5-6 minutes. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, pour 1 tbsp olive oil and add sausage. Cook sausage for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from pan, add remaining oil and onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for 5-6 minutes.

Add cooked pasta, pesto and lemon juice. If sauce is too thick, add a ladle of pasta water. Mix until pasta is evenly coated. Add tomato and cheese and red pepper flake. Mix and enjoy!

RIP Black Rock, you will be missed.

-Akemi-chan