Name: Penne with Pork Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Swiss Chard
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 3 fennel bulbs; 3 cloves garlic; 0.68 kg ground pork sausage; 1 small bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley; 425 g penne pasta; 1 ½ bunches Swiss chard; 1 ½ medium yellow onions; crushed red pepper; extra virgin olive oil; red wine vinegar; salt

Penne with Pork Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Swiss ChardPenne with Pork Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Swiss Chard — a 40-minute dinner recipe with 11 ingredients, serving 6.Ingredients

3 fennel bulbs

3 cloves garlic

0.68 kg ground pork sausage

1 small bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

425 g penne pasta

1 ½ bunches Swiss chard

1 ½ medium yellow onions

crushed red pepper

extra virgin olive oil

red wine vinegar

salt

Instructions

Fill a large pot halfway with hot water (from the tap), cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, add salt and pasta, and stir for a few seconds. Cook until desired firmness, 8-10 minutes. (Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.)

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce.

Trim off root end and stalks of the fennel, leaving only the white bulbs. Cut fennel in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into thin half-moons. Place in a large bowl.

Preheat another large pot over medium heat.

While the pot heats up, peel, halve, and slice onions crosswise into thin half-moons. Add to the bowl with the fennel.

Once the pot is hot, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add fennel, onion, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown, 7-9 minutes. (Reserve bowl for the next step.)

Meanwhile, fold chard leaves in half lengthwise and slice off the stems. Cut leaves crosswise into thin (shred-like) strips and thinly slice the stems, keeping them separate. Place leaves in the reserved large bowl and stems in a small bowl.

Shave parsley leaves off the stems; discard stems and roughly chop the leaves. Add half to the bowl with the chard leaves and set aside. (Set remaining parsley aside for serving.)

Peel and thinly slice garlic. Add to the bowl with the chard stems.

Once the fennel and onion are soft, add the sausage. Cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and crumbly, 5-6 minutes.

Add chard stems, garlic, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add drained pasta, reserved pasta water, and vinegar to the pot with the veggies and sausage. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, 2-3 minutes more.

Add chard leaves and parsley to the pot in handfuls, waiting for the greens to wilt slightly before adding the next handful. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

To serve, divide pasta between plates or bowls and top with reserved parsley. Enjoy!

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