Penne with Pork Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Swiss Chard

Directions

1. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with hot tap water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Drop in the penne and cook until al dente, about 8–10 minutes, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, rinse all produce and pat dry. Trim fennel, keeping the white bulb, then cut in half lengthwise and slice into thin half-moons; place in a large bowl.
3. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Slice the yellow onion into thin half-moons and add to the fennel bowl.
4. When the skillet is hot, swirl in a splash of olive oil. Add fennel, onion, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and brown in places, 6–8 minutes.
5. Rinse and prepare Swiss chard by separating leaves from stems. Slice leaves crosswise into thin ribbons and chop the stems; keep them in separate bowls.
6. Shave parsley leaves from the stems, roughly chop the leaves, and add half to the bowl with the chard leaves. Set the remaining parsley aside for serving. Peel and mince the garlic and add to the stems bowl.
7. Add the ground pork sausage to the skillet with the vegetables and cook, breaking it up, until browned and crumbly, about 4–5 minutes.
8. Stir in the chard stems, garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper; cook briefly until fragrant, about 1 minute.
9. Fold in the drained pasta, the reserved pasta water, and the red wine vinegar. Cook a minute or two, stirring until heated through.
10. Add the chard leaves in handfuls, waiting for each batch to wilt slightly before adding the next; continue until all leaves are tender, 30–60 seconds more. Remove from heat and toss in the reserved parsley for serving.
11. Divide the pasta between plates, spoon over any pan juices, and finish with the remaining parsley.