DAVID'S KALE, WHITE BEANS & ITALIAN SAUSAGE PASTA

Finally, the recipe we promised is here. Some of you are getting kale and/or swiss chard right about now. This is a great way to use them.

The original Dave recipe is for Swiss Chard & Gnocchi. His Kale variation is for Pasta with Kale, White Beans & Italian Sausage. Enjoy! An image of this tasty dish as made with Kale is found below in the blog.

Dave's Swiss Chard & Gnocchi OR
Pasta with Kale, White Beans & Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Italian sausage (out of casing)
5 - 6 lg leaves of swiss chard or kale, chopped
4 - 5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 t. fennel seeds
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Gnocchi (whole wheat or regular) (May substitute any preferred pasta)
1 can white beans (northern or cannellini) rinsed & drained
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Brown sausage. (At same time, boil water for pasta.) Remove from pan. Saute garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel in pan. Add the leaves; continue saute until they wilt ( 4 -5 min.). While pasta
is cooking, remove 1/2 cup cooking water. Add chicken broth and return sausage to saute pan. Simmer for 6 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water to the saute pan. Add cooked pasta to the saute pan, cook for another minute or so. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup grated
Pecorino-Romano. Serve immediately.


Note: If you want more heat, increase crushed red peppers to
1/4 teaspoon.