The Joy Meal

• 6 ounces pasta, any shape, or a combination
• 3 or 4 cups any vegetables, ideally in assorted colors; this version uses 1 leek, half a red onion, broccoli, 2 small carrots, half a bell pepper, and 2 mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 roughly 6-ounce Italian sausage, hot or sweet, or any leftover sausage (I used a fragment of leftover smoked sausage)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup grated or crumbled cheese, any kind (I used Parmesan)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Boil pasta to desired texture in water of appropriate saltiness. As it cooks, chop vegetables into bite-sized, similar-sized pieces.
2. Add oil to pan over medium heat. If sausage is not already cooked, fry it till it holds its shape, then slice it. Then throw the slices back in the pan. Add vegetables to the pan, putting in those that can be cooked longer first (onions, carrots) and things you prefer tender crisp (broccoli, any greens or peas) later.
3. When the vegetables are cooked to the point that the more tender vegetables are not quite done, sprinkle flour over the whole mess, then pour milk in (I never actually measure the milk, just pour straight from the carton till it looks right) and stir some more. It should thicken up a bit. Add the tomato paste and cheese and let it all meld together. It will thicken a lot. Some of this depends on the cheese; if it thickens too much, splash more milk in. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked and drained pasta.

pasta, any vegetables, olive oil, italian sausage, flour, milk, tomato paste, crumbled cheese, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/39946-the-joy-meal (may not work)