pasta, with sausage, chard, and parsnips... 30 minutes

My 18-month-old loved this and ate it the next day for lunch!

 

the goods:

 

3/4 pound small shells or orecchiette

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 pound parsnips, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (halved if large)

1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems and ribs removed, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving

 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, the drain pasta and return to pot.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 minutes. Add chard and cook until wilted, 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to pot and toss. Add Parmesan and enough pasta water to create a light sauce that coats pasta; season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional Parmesan.