Description
Hot Italian sausage and broccoli rabe tossed with rigatoni, garlic and red pepper flakes, then finished with Pecorino Romano and starchy pasta water. About 25 minutes with one skillet and one pot.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 lb Italian sausage (hot), casings removed
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Add the broccoli rabe to the pasta water during the last 3 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain together.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking into crumbles, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute until the garlic is golden.
- Add the drained rigatoni and broccoli rabe to the skillet with 1 cup of pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Remove from heat and toss with the Pecorino. The starchy water and cheese should create a creamy coating. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Blanching the broccoli rabe in the pasta water tempers its bitterness and saves a pot.
- Hot sausage is traditional and the spice complements the bitter greens. Use sweet sausage if you prefer less heat.
- Finish the pasta in the skillet with pasta water — this technique emulsifies the oil and cheese into a sauce rather than leaving it greasy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 820
- Fat: 26
- Carbohydrates: 56
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 55