Skillet Penne and Sausage
Tonight I made a delicious pasta dinner using a recipe from our “America’s Test Kitchen” cookbook. I can’t say enough good things about “Test Kitchen” recipes. My only issue with them is that most of the recipes seem to require using every bowl, pot, and pan I own. This meal isn’t like that, thankfully. It is, however, delicious!
Skillet Penne and Sausage
Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 onion, minced
* salt
* 1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage or hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (I used chicken and artichoke sausage)
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato packed in oil, rinsed and chopped fine
* 8 ounces penne (2 1/2 cups, can also use ziti) (I used whole grain pasta, to make this more healthy)
* 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
* 1 cup milk
* 1 (5 ounce) bag baby spinach
* 1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
* pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. (Be sure to use at least a 12-inch size skillet to hold all ingredients.) Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle the sun-dried tomatoes and penne evenly over the sausage. Pour the broth and milk over the pasta. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. (It may seem like a lot of spinach, but it will wilt considerably.) Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.