Rigatoni Pasta with Spicy Sausage & Chard

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Homemade pork sausage, chard, tomato paste/veg broth/creme fraiche sauce with rigatoni pasta.

Lots of pasta dishes lately, as they make for quick weeknight meals.[/donotprint]

Rigatoni Pasta with Spicy Sausage & Chard
This recipe is forgiving and many things can be substituted to accommodate what you already have around. I will try to provide some guidance.

50 grams dry pasta per person (for entree size)
1/4 lb ground pork per person (or Italian sweet or spicy sausage, without casing)
1/2 C shallot, onion, or fennel per person, sliced in nice edible size pieces
2 cups raw greens per person (spinach, chard, kale, other braising green)
1-2 T tomato paste per person
1 C vegetable stock (or chicken, etc) per person
heavy cream or creme fraiche, about 1-2 T per person

If you are working with ground pork and not pre-seasoned sausage, season your sausage with what you have on hand: paprika, chili powder, chili flakes, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, salt, pepper and even rib rub. Mix well.

Boil water for the pasta and begin cooking the pasta. In a large skillet on high, cook the ground pork in chunks, separating bits with your hands and tossing into the pan; when all pork is in the pan, add the onions/fennel/shallot. When pork is browned on one side, stir vigorously and add enough stock to cover the bottom of the pan. Add tomato paste and stir to dissolve, add salt. Add greens to wilt, and as the pasta is finishing, add the cream or creme fraiche to taste. Serve in warmed bowls.