Description
Quick weeknight pasta dish. Spicy sausage and tender broccoli rabe make a flavorful combination.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lbs (454 g) orecchiette pasta
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 lbs (454 g) mild Italian chicken sausage
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
- 1/3 cup Italian cheese blend
- Red pepper flakes
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until desired doneness.
- When the pasta is cooked, scoop it out with a slotted spoon into a bowl.
- Bring the pasta water back up to a rolling boil, add broccoli rabe, and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.
- Drain the broccoli rabe, saving 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water, and set aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (approximately 350°F/177°C).
- Add sausage (removed from casings), break it up, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until no longer pink.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add blanched broccoli rabe and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
- Add the cooked pasta and butter to the pan, and toss to combine.
- Add cheese and a few tablespoons of pasta water, and mix until the cheese is melted and the pasta is coated.
- Before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and extra cheese, if desired.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sausage while cooking.
- If you don’t have Italian chicken sausage, substitute with spicy Italian pork sausage or even crumbled pancetta for a different flavor profile.
- To retain the broccoli rabe’s vibrant green color, immediately plunge it into an ice bath after blanching.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 80