A Squared: What's For Dinner Wednesday: Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage & Broccolini

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

What's For Dinner Wednesday: Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage & Broccolini

As you may have expected, we're having pasta for dinner again!

Since this is an easy one bowl dinner, I decided to use the Barilla Veggie Rotini to pump up the healthy factor in this meal.  Barilla's new Veggie pasta line uses in-season vegetables to add 1 full serving of vegetables to every 3.5 ounces of pasta.  Not bad, right?  Plus, the pasta looks really pretty-- this rotini is a vibrant green from the addition of spinach and zucchini.  They also make a red penne with tomatoes and carrots and an orange farfalle with carrots and squash.

I've been on a chicken sausage kick lately and this recipe is a great way to use it.  If you're not a fan it can easily be swapped out for chicken breast chunks or for regular pork Italian sausage.


Ingredients:
  • 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Italian chicken sausage links, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2/3 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup dry short pasta *I used Barilla Veggie Rotini
  • 1 bunch broccolini, chopped
  • 10 basil leaves, julienned
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil.  When oil is hot, add sausage slices to pan and cook and stir until sausage slices are browned on both sides.  Add garlic and pepper flakes to pan and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add wine to the pan, raise heat, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and scrape up any brown bits from pan. Continue to simmer until wine is reduced by about half.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Add broccolini during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water.  Add pasta and broccolini to saute pan with sausage and return to medium heat. Stir until pasta is well coated and slowly add any pasta water (you may not need to use the full 1/4 cup) to bring a light sauce together. Add basil. Season with salt and pepper, add Parmesan, and serve.

Inspired by original recipe courtesy of Cream & Sugar

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