Pasta, Greens and Beans With or Without Sausage
Pasta, Greens and Beans With or Without Sausage
Ingredients
Grated Italian cheese for serving
Salt and red crushed pepper to taste
Salt and red crushed pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups reserved pasta water
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 can (15 ounces) white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup of white wine (vegetable broth can be substituted)
1 large bunch of broccoli rabe greens, chopped and stalks removed (about 5 to 6 cups)
1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces spicy Italian sausage, sliced in half inch pieces (optional)
1 pound pasta ( I used orecchiette pasta)
Step by step
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water al a dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta and keep warm. Reserve one to two cups of pasta water.
In the meantime, brown the sausage (if you want meat in your recipe) in a grill or frying pan and cook for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Set the sausage aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat and add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes and broccoli rabe. Cook for a few minutes or until the broccoli rabe is wilted. Add the wine, vinegar, tomato paste and sugar. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes until the veggies are cooked and the sauce thickens.
Add the pasta to the pot along with the beans and dried basil. Add one to two cups of the pasta water, stir and cook on low until everything is well blended.
Mix the cooked sausage into a big bowl with the desired amount of pasta depending on how many meat eaters you have. Use another bowl for the pasta without sausage. Add salt and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve with grated Italian cheese.