Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
A rustic, flavor-packed pasta from southern Italy that comes together in under 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe washed well to remove any sand or grit
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more to serve
- 1 pound Italian sausage removed from the casing (sweet works great here, but spicy or a mix of both is equally delicious)
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- Salt
- Pepper freshly ground
- Grated pecorino to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the broccoli rabe and cook just until the stems are tender but still have a slight bite, about 3 minutes. Remove from the water, but keep the pot and water where they are — you'll use it to cook the pasta a little later. Rinse the broccoli rabe under cold water to stop the cooking, drain, and chop into 1–2" pieces. Set aside.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of of olive oil. Add the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Stir frequently until the sausage is golden brown and caramelized.
- Add the smashed garlic clove and toss it in the fat from the sausage to flavor the sauce, about 1–2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and toss to heat through. Turn off the heat while you cook the pasta.
- Return the broccoli rabe water to a boil and cook the orecchiette until al dente, about 5–8 minutes. Check for doneness — it should still have some chew.
- Turn the heat back to medium. Add the pasta directly to the pan with the sausage and broccoli rabe along with a splash of pasta water. Toss well to fully coat the pasta and finish cooking.
- To serve top with grated pecorino, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper.
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