Recipe: Penne with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli (McCall's)

PENNE WITH CHICKEN SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI

1 pound penne pasta
1 1/4 cups broccoli florets
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1 pound chicken sausage (about 8 links) (1 link per serving)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, quarter, then thinly slice lengthwise
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, remove stems, slice caps
2 red and yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, then sliced into 1 to 2-inch long strips
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large pan of boiling, salted water, cook the penne as the package label directs, adding the broccoli for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and broccoli, place it in a large bowl, and keep it warm.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta about 5 minutes or until it is crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain.

In the drippings in the skillet, cook the chicken sausages about 12 to 15 minutes or until they are well browned, turning the sausages often with tongs. Transfer the sausages to a plate to cool. Slice the sausages into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Cover the plate and set aside the sausages.

To the sausage drippings in the skillet, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the red onion. Over medium-high heat, saute the onion for 5 minutes.

Stir in the shiitake mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes more.

Stir in the roasted sweet red and yellow peppers, fresh parsley, salt, red-pepper flakes, pancetta, chicken sausage, and the remaining olive oil, and heat through.

Pour the mixture over the hot pasta and toss to mix the ingredients well.

Note from source: We reduced the fat in this dish by substituting sausage made from chicken for the usual Italian pork sausage. You can also substitute regular cooked ham for the pancetta. Serve with 7-grain rolls or semolina bread.

Servings: 8
From:: McCall's Best One-Dish Meals
Source: New York Times Company Women's Magazine, 1994