Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Tiny morsels of sweet fennel sausage, garlicky broccoli rabe, and spicy cherry peppers nest within the tiny crevices of orecchiette pasta to form the ultimate pasta meal!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
- 1 pound (454g) orecchiette
- 1 pound (454g) broccoli rabe bottom 1-inch of stems removed and chopped into 2" pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds (680g) bulk Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil divided
- 10 cloves garlic chopped
- 4 large cherry (vinegar) peppers chopped with seeds and stems removed
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1 1/2 cups (680ml) reserved pasta water
- salt and pepper to taste
Cut off and discard the bottom1 inch of broccoli rabe. Chop the broccoli rabe into 2-3 inch long pieces.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and blanch the broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes or until it turns bright green. Using tongs or a past spider remove the broccoli rabe and set it aside to cool. Do not dump the water. Keep the water boiling for the pasta later on.
Meanwhile, heat your largest pan to medium-high heat and saute the sausage until cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pan and set it aside.
To the same pot of boiling water, add the orecchiette pasta. Cook the pasta to 1-2 minutes less than al dente.
In the same pan, turn the heat down to medium, and add a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped garlic. Cook until the garlic turns lightly golden (about 2-4 minutes). Add the cherry peppers and return the sausage to the pan and continue to cook over medium heat.
Add the broccoli rabe to the pan and mix everything together to combine the flavors. Add a cup of pasta water to the pan and cook for 1 minute more. Add in the al dente and cook until done while tossing or stirring to incorporate (about 1-2 minutes).
Taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper. When satisfied turn off the heat and add in the parsley, grated cheese, and the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Mix or toss once more and serve. If the pasta is too dry just add a couple of ounces of pasta water at a time to bring the consistency back to perfect. Serve with more cherry peppers and grated cheese. Enjoy!
- Make sure to remove the hard bottom 1 inch of the broccoli rabe.
- Cook pasta al dente so that it can be finished in the sausage and pasta water to acquire more flavor.
- If the pasta dries out prior to serving, just revive it with a few ounces of pasta water. Always save your pasta water!
- Salt to taste. The amount of salt required will be dictated by the sausage used. Some brands are way saltier than others.
- Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Calories: 779kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.1g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 895mg | Potassium: 728mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 1.3g | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 5mg
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