This seasonal pasta dish will be on the table in under 20 mins. A great dish for this weekend if you have guests coming over. It has a velvety sauce that will wow your guests but it’s not too filling. It’s also great for a quick midweek meal when you have a couple of sausages left in the fridge.

It can be adapted if you can’t get the lovely seasonal chard either to spring greens or cavolo nero ( dark kale ). Maybe a friend who has an allotment or veggie patch will gladly give you some.

I think sometimes chard can be pushed aside slightly. Many people I speak to shy away from it as they aren’t sure how to use it. It sometimes can confuse people with its large leaves and stems. I personally love the veg and feel it should be showcased more. It’s beautiful colours are a delight to look at. Especially as we are in Autumn now. Mine are still growing well in the kitchen garden, some have bolted as I want them to go to seed but the others are fine.

I may even grow some more over the coming months.

Listen here where you can hear me cooking this super simple, quick and inexpensive recipe for Ben Jackson on BBC Radio Leicester.

 

Linguine with sausage meatballs and chard:

 

 

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

Sausage Meatballs:

• 3-4 pork sausages ( Meat taken out of the skins )
• A small handful of fennel fronds/tops chopped
• A sprig of sage chopped ( 4 leaves )
• Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Pasta:

• 200g, linguine ( I used dry )
• Good glug of Rapeseed oil ( I use cold pressed )
• 1 medium sized red onion diced
• 1 large clove of garlic chopped, use 2 if very small
• 4-5 chestnut mushrooms sliced
• A good pinch of chilli flakes or you can use fresh.
• 2 large handfuls chard chopped roughly, stalks a little smaller. If you can’t get chard, use spring greens or cavolo nero.
• 1/4 gel pot of chicken stock
• 2 ladles hot water from the pasta
• Slug double cream
• fresh parmesan grated

 

 

Method: 

• Cook linguine to packet instructions
• Mix together the sausage meat, herbs and seasoning and create small meatballs. This will make roughly 16 small sized ones.
• Whilst that is cooking, fry of the onion in rapeseed oil on a medium heat for a minute, then add in the mushrooms. You may need to add a little more rapeseed oil.
• After a couple of minutes bring your mixture to the sides of the frying pan.
• Add in your meatballs into the middle and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring as you go.
• After a couple of minutes, add in the garlic and toss all together.

• When the meatballs are starting to brown slightly, pop in the chard.
• As it cooks down, add in your chilli flakes and chicken stock.
• Add in the water from the pasta and reduce down for a minute or two.

• Drain off your pasta, keep some water if you feel you need to add a little more.
• Add a slug of double cream and a little grated parmesan

• Add your pasta to the sauce using tongs or a spaghetti spoon so you don’t add too much at once. Fold the velvety sauce through the pasta.
• Serve into large pasta bowls and add a sprinkle of grated fresh parmesan.