Another Molly Stevens recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine. I had lots of Swiss chard from an organic farm to use and this was wonderful. Similar to a broccoli rabe pasta recipe I love.
I didn't have a red onion, so used spanish and chicken broth as the liquid.
Penne with Sausage, Chard and Pine Nuts
1 Tbs. olive oil; more as needed
5 oz. sweet Italian sausage (about 2 sausage links), casings removed, meat crumbled
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small bunch red, green, or yellow Swiss chard, tougher stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced
Pinch dried red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or dry white wine
8 oz. dried penne or fusilli
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar; more to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage; cook, breaking it up and stirring with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 7 to 10 min. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage and set aside. If the pan seems a bit dry, add enough oil so there's about 3 Tbs. fat in the pan. Return the pan to medium heat, add the onion, and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 min., stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chard, garlic, and pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and toss until the chard begins to sizzle, about 1 min. Add the stock, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender, 6 to 8 min. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until just tender. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta, leaving drops of water clinging to it. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the skillet, using more of the water if needed. Return the sausage to the pan and add the balsamic vinegar. Heat gently for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Add the pine nuts and half of the Parmesan, and taste for salt and pepper. Add a bit more of the cooking water if the pan seems dry. Serve warm, passing the remaining Parmesan cheese at the table.
Serves two generously.
I didn't have a red onion, so used spanish and chicken broth as the liquid.
Penne with Sausage, Chard and Pine Nuts
1 Tbs. olive oil; more as needed
5 oz. sweet Italian sausage (about 2 sausage links), casings removed, meat crumbled
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small bunch red, green, or yellow Swiss chard, tougher stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced
Pinch dried red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or dry white wine
8 oz. dried penne or fusilli
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar; more to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage; cook, breaking it up and stirring with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 7 to 10 min. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage and set aside. If the pan seems a bit dry, add enough oil so there's about 3 Tbs. fat in the pan. Return the pan to medium heat, add the onion, and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 min., stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chard, garlic, and pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and toss until the chard begins to sizzle, about 1 min. Add the stock, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender, 6 to 8 min. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until just tender. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta, leaving drops of water clinging to it. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the skillet, using more of the water if needed. Return the sausage to the pan and add the balsamic vinegar. Heat gently for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Add the pine nuts and half of the Parmesan, and taste for salt and pepper. Add a bit more of the cooking water if the pan seems dry. Serve warm, passing the remaining Parmesan cheese at the table.
Serves two generously.
)