Tips: Cook the broccoli rabe the night before and you'll be way ahead. Whatever you do, read the recipe through start to finish before you get started. It's a little out of the ordinary but relatively painless. Cook off the garlic and sausage up to one hour ahead and let it sit in the pan until you're ready to finish the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed of damaged leaves
- 1 pound orecchiette or other pasta noodle
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, cut into quarter-inch slices
- Salt
- 1 cup coarse, seasoned bread crumbs, toasted, optional garnish
- Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, optional garnish
Directions
Cut the broccoli rabe into 3 to 4 inch pieces, discarding the stems. In a large pot of rapidly boiling water, blanch the broccoli rabe until tender and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Before you drain broccoli rabe, reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Drain and rinse the broccoli rabe with cold water until it has cooled off. Spread it out on a towel to finish draining.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, place 2 tablespoons of water into a cold skillet with garlic and sausage and then turn heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden and sausage is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour reserved broccoli water into pan with sausage.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and place back in pot you cooked it in and season with salt. Pour sausage sauce over pasta and stir in cooked broccoli rabe. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.
If the Queen's coming to dinner: Garnish with fresh bread crumbs and/or freshly grated pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese
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By Melon62
North Haven, CT
on November 09, 2011
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Tasty with the addition of a little Olive Oil and chicken stock for extra moisture. Annedaly10 - I believe the negative reviews are just a matter of palate and personal taste. Some like a little more oily taste or perhaps a little saltier. The juice and oil from the cooked sausage poured over the pasta may not be enough to add flavor for some or perhaps the sausage they use is not as flavorful. Still, a good comfort dish with the addition of a loaf of crusty bread and a salad!
By annedaly10_12204113
Las Vegas, NV
on August 23, 2011
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I have made this twice and love it! I was surprised to see negative reviews, then I re-read the ingredients. I used half a pound of pasta, not a whole pound. I was cooking for 2, and still we have leftovers. Delicious that way, make your own adjustments.
I am a former New Yorker and this reminds of great Italian dishes I had in my favorite Italian restaurant.
By egardenut_5537278
Washington,DC
on December 15, 2008
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Lidia Bastianich has a great recipe for this dish. Here is one that is very close http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1094505
It is not worth sacrificing a few calories for a lot of flavor...
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