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Sausage and Turnip Gratin Pasta

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches turnips, cleaned well, greens removed
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 cup cream
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese.
  • 1/2 pound hot Italian turkey sausage (or regular Italian sausage)
  • 1 pound dried penne

Recipe

  1. Cut off the top and tail of the turnips, slice into 1/4 inch slices. 
  2. Melt butter in a non-stick 12-inch skillet (choose one with a lid) and layer turnip slices in pan. Sprinkle the turnips with thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. 
  3. Cook in butter over medium heat for 3 minutes. 
  4. Cover turnips with the heavy cream and chicken stock, put lid on and cook over medium heat (making sure not to scald the cream) for 20 minutes. 
  5. While the turnips are cooking, boil the water for your pasta, cook until al dente, and drain, reserving some of the pasta water. 
  6. At the same time you're cooking the pasta, remove turkey sausage from their casings, and brown in a skillet. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.
  7. After 20 minutes, the turnips will be softened. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top of cooked turnips and put lit back on for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted over the turnips. 
  8. At this point, remove the lid, add your sausage and your pasta, and 1/4 of a cup reserved water from the pasta and toss until well-combined.
  9. Serve with plenty of extra parmesan and romano cheese. 

FoodBuzz, adapted from Gourmet/2007