Description
A flavorful and hearty Italian pasta dish featuring spicy Italian sausage, tender paccheri pasta, and a mix of sautéed hearty greens like kale or Swiss chard. This vibrant meal balances spicy, savory, and fresh flavors with a silky Pecorino Romano cheese sauce and a touch of white wine.
Ingredients
Scale
pasta
- 12 ounces paccheri pasta (or rigatoni)
sauce & seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
vegetables
- 5 cups chopped hearty greens (such as kale, Swiss chard, or broccoli rabe)
finishing
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- extra olive oil and Pecorino for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook paccheri until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Brown the sausage: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Sauté garlic and spices: Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant but not burnt.
- Deglaze the pan: Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let the wine reduce by half to concentrate the flavor.
- Cook the greens: Add the chopped hearty greens to the skillet and sauté until wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. If using broccoli rabe, blanch it beforehand for 2 minutes to reduce bitterness.
- Toss with pasta: Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce.
- Season and finish: Season the dish with salt and black pepper. Add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and toss again. Adjust the sauce consistency by adding more pasta water if needed to create a silky texture.
- Serve: Plate the pasta hot, drizzling with extra olive oil and sprinkling additional Pecorino Romano cheese on top.
Notes
- For more heat, increase the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of Calabrian chili paste.
- If using broccoli rabe, blanch it for 2 minutes before sautéing to reduce bitterness.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help bind the sauce to the pasta.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp white wine or a light red Italian wine.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 870 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
