Penne with sausage and artichokes

By á-2788

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup drained oil packed sun-dried tomatoes , sliced. reserve 2 TBS oil.
• 1 lb mild or hot Italian sausage remove from casings
• 2 8oz frozen, thawed or 2 cans artichokes drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• salt
• 12-16 oz penne pasta
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for final topping
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, drained and cubed

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil reserved from the tomatoes in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium-high flame. Add the sausage and cook until brown, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the artichokes and garlic to the same skillet, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces slightly, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta (do not rise). Add the pasta, sausage, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, the basil, and parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until the sauce is almost absorbed by the pasta. Stir in the mozzarella, if using. Season to taste with the salt and pepper, and serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese alongside.