Whole grain penne pasta with chard and minced meat

Ingredients:

• 220 g whole grain penne pasta
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 raw Italian sausages (about 110 g), casings removed
• Half an onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch rainbow chard, coarsely chopped (stems removed from leaves)
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 can (400 g) of canned cherry tomatoes
• 0.5 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (about 55 g)

Preparation:

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Set aside 0.5 cups of the water and discard the rest.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and chard stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chard leaves to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked penne pasta, the reserved cooking water, and 1/4 cup of cheese; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle each serving with the remaining cheese.