On a recent visit to Jovial Foods in North Stonington, CT, I discovered how great gluten-free pasta can be and uncovered a few tips for turning it into delicious, quick meals every time.

Lots of water, a little salt and a simple recipe are a few of the essentials, says Carla Bartolucci, owner of Jovial Foods.

Carla prides herself on getting a meal on the table in the time it takes to cook the pasta. To do that, she cooks the vegetables with the pasta so everything is ready at once.

She made our fabulous (and very simple) lunch that way.  It begins with Jovial’s new Farfalle (bow tie) pasta, a treat in itself.  

Gluten-free pasta dishes have to be wetter, she says. Brown rice absorbs a lot of extra liquid. She saved some cooking water to add back to the sauce as she prepared our lunch of farfalle with broccoli, baby kale, ground turkey and cannellini beans.   I’ve made a version of it several times, using the vegetables on hand.  If yours are quick-cooking veggies, add them for the last couple of minutes but be sure the water is boiling before adding them.  

Here’s the yummy recipe.   

1, 12-ounce box Jovial Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta)
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
4 cups baby kale, snipped with scissors
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
½ pound ground dark meat turkey
1, 13oz jar (about 2 cups) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a 4 quart pot of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the farfalle, broccoli, and baby kale. Do not lower the heat. Cook the pasta according to the instructions. If you like your vegetables crisper wait 2 minutes before adding the vegetables to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil and garlic to a large sauté pan and cook over low medium heat until the garlic become fragrant, about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic and discard. Add the turkey and sauté until no longer pink. Add the beans and heat. Add about ½ cup of the pasta water and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly.

Drain the pasta and veggies and add to the turkey mixture. Toss well. Drizzle with more olive oil and add cheese to taste and serve with additional cheese.