YUMMY LUNCH: Emeril's Penne with Sausage and Escarole

Ingredients

·  1 pound penne pasta

·  1 teaspoon olive oil

·  2 medium onions, cut into small dice (about 2 cups)

·  1 red bell pepper, cut into medium dice (about 1 cup)

·  1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water

·  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·  11/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (or bulk sausage)

·  2 teaspoons minced garlic

·  1 bunch escarole or mustard greens, rinsed, stemmed, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)

·  1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

·  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

·  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

Cooking Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until just tender, about 11 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and set aside.

While the water is heating and the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a 14-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, 1 /2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the pieces up with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and escarole, and cook for 5 minutes longer.

Add the cooked pasta and the reserved cooking water, and stir gently to combine. Simmer just until everything is heated through, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cheese and crushed red pepper, and toss to combine. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil, and serve immediately. 

This recipe was super easy and SUPER YUMMY!  (I used mustard greens because I couldn't find escarole at our Whole Foods)  You can find the recipe at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=12923928

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <>< (SAHM)