Penne with Sausage, Garbanzo Beans, and Broccoli Rabe

(Makes 6 full-meal servings or 8 small servings, recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from many online recipes.)

5 links hot turkey Italian Sausage (19.5 oz.)
1 large bunch Broccoli Rabe (next time I might double it, which would lower the carbs)
1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed very well and drained
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
3 cups (dry) Dreamfield's Penne
(reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat a 12 inch frying pan and squeeze sausage out of casing into pan. Saute until very well browned, breaking up into smaller pieces with turner. While sausage browns, rinse beans very well (until all foam is gone) and let drain.

Wash Broccoli Rabe very well (I used a salad spinner) and then cut crosswise into ribbons. I also chopped some of the stems, but discarded the bottom portion of the stem.

In large deep frying pan, heat olive oil, add Broccoli Rabe, and saute until it has shrunk by half. Add sausage and beans to Broccoli Rabe. Deglaze sausage pan with 1/4 cup chicken stock, and add that and balsamic vinegar to pan with Broccoli Rabe, sausage and beans.

Let sausage/veggie mixture braise while you bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne 9-10 minutes, or until barely al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta well and put back into pot you cooked pasta in. Add sausage/veggie mixture and pasta cooking water and stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes, then add parmesan cheese, stir once more, and serve hot.



This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.