Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cannellini Beans

This pasta dish I made for dinner tonight was inspired by a Portuguese Kale Soup that my hubby makes. The ingredients are similar to the ones in the kale soup and go just beautifully together.

It's healthy and absolutely delicious.

My son even told me that he would like me to make a batch of it to bring to his preschool so that everyone there could try it. Now that's a pretty big compliment!

Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cannellini Beans

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced medium
• 1 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage, remove and discard casings
• 2 tsp chopped garlic 
• 15 oz canned white beans (cannellini or great white northern), drained but not rinsed
• large bunch of kale; washed well, hard stems removed, leaves cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 2 cups of canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb of pasta, preferably a shaped pasta like gemelli, cavatappi or penne

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove. When water is boiling add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside when done.

While you are waiting for the pasta water to boil you can make the sauce.

Heat oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat. When oil is glistening hot, add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Stirring often. Add sausage and cook for 5 minutes or until starting to brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and the beans. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the kale, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and wine. When it comes to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring often and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Many of the beans will be dissolved at this point and the sauce will have thickened a bit. If not, you may want to smash 1/4 of them with the back of your wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Finally add the cooked pasta and toss with the sauce until well coated. Serve immediately with a side of good Parmesan cheese.

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