Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage
• 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
• 1 cup half and half
• 6 large kale leaves (torn from the rib and roughly chopped (About 1 1/2 cups))
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Dash red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. penne or bowtie pasta
• Reserved pasta water
• Ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Start a pot of water to a boil, adding about 1 Tablespoon of Kosher salt to the pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. If your sauce isn't completed by the time the pasta is done, toss it with a drizzle of oil to prevent it from sticking.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion and cook until sausage is browned and onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pan.

3. 3

   Add half and half to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom. Bring to a simmer and let cook down until reduced by about half, or approximately 3-4 minutes.

4. 4

   Add kale to the sausage mixture and let wilt. Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted.

5. 5

   Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, stirring to combine. If sauce is too thick, add splashes of pasta water to get it to thin and thoroughly coat the pasta. Serve warm with good crusty bread and a side salad!