Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of broccoli rabe
- 1/2 box of pasta typically orecchiette is used, but you can use any pasta really
- olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 package of italian sausage you can use sweet italian or spicy italian depending on your heat preference
- pecorino romano cheese
- red chili pepper flakes optional
- garlic powder
- water for pasta boiling
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Place the rinsed broccoli rabe into the boiling water for 5-7 minutes to cook slightly. Remove the broccoli rabe and set aside then add the pasta of your choice and cook according to the package directions.
- Remove sausage from casing and cook in a large pan with a little bit of olive oil. Use a spatula, or a flat edged wooden utensil to break sausage up into pieces. Once cooked through, remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a little olive oil and saute garlic and cook slightly.
- Add broccoli rabe and season with salt, garlic powder, and red chili flakes (if you like)
- Strain pasta directly into the pan, reserving pasta water.
- Add pecorino cheese and add pasta water as needed to add flavor to the sauce. Add extra cheese as needed and enjoy!
Video
Little Ear Pasta?
I am a creature of habit so whenever I see Broccoli Rabe & Sausage on the menu, I probably almost always get it. It was one of the dishes that I never made though. And to be honest, my family hardly made Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage either. Probably because us picky kids did not want an kind of vegetable, especially not Broccoli Rabe, on our plates. And lets be honest, broccoli rabe can be bitter so it is an acquired taste. But that is what the cheese is for!
But as an adult, we need our vegetables! Can anyone think of a more delicious way to intake vegetable like broccoli rabe? I mean it is smothered in sausage bits around a cute little ear shaped pasta. I ever get a chance to go to Mola di Bari, I want to see the lady that makes Orecchiette in the street – a true art form. None the less, this little Orecchiette shaped pasta is a perfect little dish.
I also love that Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage is a two pan deal and a handful of good and healthy ingredients. Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage is also quick and easy pasta so it makes for an excellent weeknight dinner. I am sure there are some other ways to make this to make it a more traditional “orecchiette abruzzese”. I believe that is the traditional name for Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage. However, this is the way that I trialed and errored it because I wanted a no fuss meal with less dishes. So, with that said, if you know a better way – spill the beans – I’ll try anything! But if you take anything away from this, its that give this green a chance in your pasta routine, I am sure that Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage will be a hit.
