Campanelle Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

I love finding new pasta recipes.  For the longest time I used pasta as a vehicle for spaghetti sauce.  The more I began to experiment with different pasta recipes the more I began to appreciate its endless possibilities.  In this recipe I combine campanelle pasta with broccoli and homemade Italian style turkey sausage.  The combination of ingredients creates a wonderfully delicious flavor.  The sauce is light in consistency and fragrant with the garlic, olive oil, and the fresh parsley.  Be sure to use a good quality olive oil that has a rich fruity flavor. 

I adapted this recipe from a Food Network Rachael Ray recipe.  In my version, I changed up some of the ingredients and made it healthier by using my homemade Italian style turkey sausage and used a fat-free, unsalted vegetable stock.  Not to get side tracked, but if you haven’t used vegetable stock, do try it.  I found out with this recipe that vegetable stock has much more flavor than ordinary chicken stock.

Italian sausage has such a high fat content, that I stopped using it all together (so sad!!).  Although, I was able to find Italian sausage made from turkey in the grocery store, the sodium content was still higher than I wanted.  To solve my dilemma, I created my own homemade sausage.  To reach its maximum flavor, mix all the ingredients together and allow it to rest in the refrigerator overnight, or up to 24 hours.  I must admit, it does not have the same texture as regular sausage, and being that it is turkey, the flavor is a bit different, but it does make it on my list of comparable substitutes.  Do not be intimidated at the thought of making homemade sausage.  The entire process takes less than 10 minutes and only requires one mixing bowl.

Do be careful with this meal, you may be tempted to go back for seconds.

Enjoy!

Campanelle Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

Serves 6 or more

1 Bunch Broccoli; use the florets only, cut into bite size pieces

12 Oz. Uncooked, Campanelle pasta
1 Tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. Homemade Italian style turkey sausage
½ Medium sweet onion, diced
4 Garlic cloves, minced (use a garlic press if you have one)
1-2/3 Cup Vegetable stock; unsalted and low-fat
Pinch of sea salt
¼ Tsp. Ground black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
½ Cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 Tbls. Additional Extra virgin olive oil
½ Cup (or less) Grated parmesan cheese
 

Click here for my recipe for Homemade Italian Style Turkey Sausage (Prepare the day before)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt the water to your satisfaction.  Add the broccoli and simmer for about 8 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Return the water to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add the sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then add the onion and garlic, cook another 5 minutes, or until the sausage is completely cooked through and the onions are translucent.

Add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper(s) and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add the par-cooked broccoli and cook another 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the pasta, parsley and two tablespoons of olive oil; stir to incorporate.  At this point I add the cheese and stir.  If you prefer, set the cheese out at the table and let everyone add it to their individual plates.