sausage and chard with penne

we had this last night. Our first dinner at home in two weeks, since Ruthie was born and I went to Nashville. It was so good that DV commented a half dozen times. I shoulda take a picture. I have an abundance of swiss chard in the garden. I used already cooked sausage = aidell's cajun andouille, and a vidalia onion. white wine from the glass dv had poured. after dinner, we watched "man on wire." great 2008 oscar winning documentary about phillip petit, who walked across a wire he anchored between the world trade centers in 1974l


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
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth, 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 Parmigiano-Reggiano

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 minutes. 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 minutes, 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 broth, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. 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 Parmigiano, and taste for salt and pepper. Add a bit more of the cooking water if the pan seems dry. Serve warm, passing the remaining Parmigiano at the table.
nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on two servings; Calories (kcal): 840; Fat (kcal): 33; Fat Calories (g): 300; Saturated Fat (g): 5; Protein (g): 42; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): 95; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 1180; Cholesterol (mg): 45; Fiber (g): 7;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 42, pp. 56-60
December 1, 2000