- 3/4 pound penne pasta
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), 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 2 tablespoons water; cover and cook until crisp-tender, 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. 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 thin the sauce.