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Not that long ago my son said “Mom, you’re not posting enough pasta dishes to the blog”! After thinking about it a little, I realize he’s right. Maybe I’ve been a little too carb conscious with my recipes lately. I think it’s time to I start sharing more of our favorite pasta dishes.
So this one’s for him. And of course for you!
I hope you like it’s one of our favorites!
Fusilli with Sauteed Kale and Chicken sausage.
This dish is a combination of some of my son’s favorite foods.
My boy loves broccoli di rabe (rapini) with chicken. He also loves kale so I tried to make a dish that had some similar flavors.
This recipe is simple, straight forward and you don’t need any fancy ingredients. I am confident these items can be found in any market from coast to coast and beyond. Here’s how you can make this flavorful dish and dare I say healthy dish…
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. When cooked drain and if not using stock reserve a cup of the cooking water.
NOTE: I normally cook the pasta along with my sauce but if you’re not comfortable doing both at the same time then I suggest you cook the pasta first. Then drain it and set aside with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Remove the sausage from the casing and cook in a saute pan with a little olive oil. Cook the chicken sausage through and remove with a slotted spoon when browned. Then set aside in a covered dish until ready to use again.
TIP: Use a potato masher or back of a fork to break apart the sausage filling. It’s good to let it cook a little bit before breaking it apart – this helps with sticking to the fork or masher.
- Crush the garlic cloves and add to the saute pan with red pepper flakes and a little more olive oil if necessary. Once the garlic is lightly browned add the chopped kale and saute until wilting.
TIP: when the garlic is slightly browning add the kale. The garlic will continue to cook once you add the kale but it will slow down a bit and won’t burn. Burnt garlic is bitter and will change the flavors in the final outcome.
- Once the kale begins to wilt return the chicken sausage to the pan, mix and cover. Cook for 5 minutes (or so). Remove the lid and add about 1 cup of chicken stock or reserved pasta water. Bring to a boil and then add the cooked pasta to the pan. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
I love pasta dishes because they are versatile. The great thing about cooking your own food is changing up recipes to your own needs. You can use this recipe as a guideline for any pasta with greens. Substitute regular pasta for whole grain, brown rice pasta or even make this with quinoa. You can add more pepper or even omit the sausage.
However you cook this dish, remember to cook with love and your meals will always taste great!The Recipe
Kale and Chicken Sausage with Fusilli
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 lb of chicken sausage removed from casing
- 8 oz of chopped kale
- 1 lb cooked fusilli pasta
- 1 cup or chicken stock or 1of reserved cooking liquid
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- Grated Parmesan Cheese to taste
Instructions
- Cook 1lb of fusilli pasta;drain (reserve cooking liquid if necessary)and drizzle with olive oil;cover and set aside.
- In a saute pan cook the chicken sausage with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; saute sausage until cooked through and browned;remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside in a covered bowl.
- Saute the crushed garlic and red pepper flakes in the same pan with the remaining olive oil;once the garlic is lightly browned add the chopped kale;when the kale begins to wilt return the chicken sausage to the pan;saute about 5-7 minutes covered and then add your liquid of choice;bring to boil and then toss in the pasta and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*use regular italian pork sausage if desired.
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