Rigatoni with Sausage, Beans, and Greens
Servings 6
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 12 oz rigatoni, cooked per instructions in salted water **Cook three minutes less than instructions call for–pasta will finish cooking in the sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2-3 links Italian sausage, to taste, casings removed
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 1 (15- oz) can Cannellini beans (white kidney), rinsed & drained, let dry on paper towels.
- 1 bunch of Swiss chard, thick stems & ribs removed, torn into pieces
- 2 oz Parmesan, finely grated
- 2 tbsp butter **Don't skip this step!
- Juice from ½ lemon **Don't skip this step!
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Prepare your pasta by cooking it in a well-salted large pot of boiling water according to the package instructions. Cook the rigatoni about 3 minutes less than what the instructions call for. You will finish cooking it with the sauce.
- Reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, removed from its casing and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, to the hot skillet and cook, stirring often while breaking it into crumbles, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the skillet, then add the white beans and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until golden.
- Remove half of the beans and place them in the sausage.
- Add the cooked pasta, swiss chard, and 1 cup of pasta cooking water to the remaining beans in the pan.
- Cook, tossing often until the chard is wilted, the pasta is al dente, and the water is reduced by about half, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add another ½ cup of pasta cooking water to the pan, then gradually add the cheese slowly, tossing all the while, until the cheese is emulsified into the water and forms a glossy sauce.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the reserved beans and sausage, along with 2 tablespoons of butter. Toss until the butter is melted and mixed thoroughly.
- Add the juice from ½ lemon and toss until evenly mixed.
- Pour into a serving bowl and top with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges on the side.