CHICKPEA PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND ESCAROLE

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Chickpea Pasta with Sausage and Escarole image

Gluten-free pastas are tastiest with olive oil-based pan sauces that don't thicken too much, which can make the pasta feel gummy. Pasta with chickpeas and greens is a classic dish from the Puglia region of Italy. In our riff with chickpea pasta, we added sausage to complement the earthy flavors of the greens and noodles.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Kosher salt
One 8-ounce box dried chickpea penne
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small red onion, thickly sliced
1 medium head escarole, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes shy of the package directions. Reserve 1 1/4 cups pasta water, then drain.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Crumble in the sausage and cook until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook until golden and wilted, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the escarole, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Cover and cook until the escarole has just wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the heat to reduce the liquid in the skillet and thicken it slightly, about 1 minute.
  • Add the pasta to the simmering sauce and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss well, adding a little more of the reserved pasta water if it seems dry. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and Pecorino, toss and serve immediately.

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