Pasta is such a great ‘go to’ meal for those rushed mid-week nights. Most kids love it, it’s inexpensive and in most houses, a pantry staple.
For those watching their carbohydrate intake, keeping pasta meals to a minimum and using wholemeal varieties means you can enjoy pasta as a part of a balanced diet. We also live in a time where there are many wheat-free pasta options available, so if you are steering clear of wheat, you can substitute brown rice pasta or gluten free pasta in this recipe.
This recipe, from Curtis Stone’s cookbook Good Food Good Life, is quick to make and full of flavour. I love the way he has added Kale, (often disliked by children due to it’s bitter taste) and made it a part of a very tasty dish. This dish got the thumbs up from the whole family, even the kale part!
As a busy mum, I opted for the 500 grams of pork and veal mince in this recipe, even though Curtis suggests you use the meat from inside good quality sausages, removing and discarding their casings. That just felt a little too hard for me after arriving home late from soccer training on a Tuesday night and needing dinner on the table PRONTO.
As another school term begins and we hit the downward run to Christmas (did I just really type that?) you might be able to add this to your menu for something a little different.
- 4 pork sausages, casings removed OR 500gm pork and veal mince
- 1/2 bunch Kale, trimmed and roughly chopped (approx 2 cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1x 500gm jar pasta sauce (tomato based)
- 400gm penne, (wholemeal or gluten free pasta options work well too)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- shredded parmesan cheese to serve
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
- Add the penne and cook according to packet directions.
- While the penne is cooking, heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage meat or mince, and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Once it is golden brown, add the chopped kale and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the kale starts to wilt.
- Add the wine and jar of pasta sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes or the liquid is slightly reduced.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of it's cooking liquid.
- Toss the penne into the sauce and add a little of the reserved cooking water to thin the sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately.