Fusilli with Chard and Sausage

Lest you think all chard dishes have to be vegetarian, here's one with tasty sausage. Actually meat goes quite well with chard or other greens. Substitute chard for spinach in this meatball soup.

This pasta dish was really good. I thought maybe there was too much onion while preparing it, but I ended up loving the onion cooked in the sausage grease. You could even reduce the amount of sausage, if desired, as it could be used more for flavor. But there's really not that much, so, just go for it.

Fusilli with Greens and Sausage
adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

1 large bunch of chard or kale
1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of dried chile flakes
3/4 pound fusilli or penne rigate
olive oil
1/2 c. grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Trim and wash greens (for kale, remove stems; for chard remove stalks and keep separate from leaves to cook a little longer). Chop coarse and cook until tender (throw the chard stalks in 2 minutes before the leaves) in salted boiling water - this will take just a few minutes. Drain well, saving the cooking water to cook the pasta in.

Cut the sausage into small slices or form into small balls. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the sausage and cook over medium heat until browned and cooked through, breaking the sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon while cooking, if desired. Remove the sausage and set aside. Add the sliced onion to the pan. Stir the onions somewhat frequently, cooking until softened and slightly carmelized. Add salt, pepper, and chile flakes to taste. Add the cooked greens and sausage, cooking for a few minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, cook fusilli in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and return to the pan. Toss the pasta with a little salt and olive oil. Serve the pasta with the greens/sausage mixture on top. Garnish with grated cheese.