Penne with Turkey and Broccolini
- 3/4 pound penne pasta
- 1/4 cup EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
- 1 bunch broccolini (about 9 ounces), tough ends trimmed, stalks and florets chopped into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
- Parmesan cheese, for topping (optional)
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until al dente, 11-13 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the broccolini and season with salt and pepper. Stir in two tablespoons water, cover and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining EVOO and the onion, and cook until soft, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper, and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Push the onion to the side of the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and crumble in the turkey; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the pasta, broccolini and three-quarters of the reserved pasta water to the turkey; toss well. Add the remaining pasta water, if needed, to the sauce.