Hiding Greens Part 2 - Pasta Sauce Anyone?

My ingredient tonight is chard. Having been on vacation last week, we received a make up CSA share this week in addition to our regular share, and so welcomed two small bunches of chard into the house. Chard is a beautiful dark leafy green with colorful stems. I like chard. But, again, how to use it week after week and what to do with it so that my perennial dining companion doesn't mind. Especially when he is working late all week so I'm packing not only lunch but dinner for him the night before and whatever I make must travel and store well. So I raided my refrigerator, pantry and freezer and found, as with most things culinary in life, pasta is an answer! And a tasty one to boot!

3 large tomatoes
2 Italian Sausage links
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good tasting red wine
1 cup great northern beans (from a can or jar, rinsed and drained)
1 small bunch chard, rinsed, dried, thick stems removed and chopped
1/2 pound pasta of your choice ( I used cavatappi)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional


Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Core the tomatoes and put an X in the base of them with a knife and boil 2 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a cold bowl of water and let them cool.

Bring another pot of water to a boil for your pasta.

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. "Uncase" the sausage links and discard the casing so the sausage is loose and break the sausage up with spoon in the skillet as it cooks.

Add the onions and garlic after the sausage is cooked through. When they are softened, add the wine and stir - scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze the pan a little.

Take the tomatoes out of the water, remove and discard the skins, and add the tomatoes to the skillet (breaking them into pieces with a spoon as well). Add the beans. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Cook your pasta according to package directions. When you start to cook the pasta, also stir the chard into the tomato/sausage mixture in the skillet.

Drain the pasta when it is done and serve the sauce over top of the pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.