Italian Recipes - Penne with Fennel

Ingredients     

• 6 ounces dried penne pasta

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed* and cut into thin bite-size strips

• 1 large red or green sweet pepper, cut into thin bite-size strips

• 1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme

• Freshly ground black pepper

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Method:

1. In a large saucepan cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Return pasta to hot saucepan; cover and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook for 30 seconds. Add fennel; cook and stir for 5 minutes.

3. Add sweet pepper strips; cook for 3 minutes more. Add beans and thyme; cook about 2 minutes or until hot.

4. Add fennel mixture to pasta; toss gently to combine. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

*NOTE: Cut off and discard upper stalks of fennel bulbs. Remove any wilted outer layers of stalks. Wash fennel and cut lengthwise into quarters. Remove core and discard.