Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
A hearty southern Italian pasta dish of chewy ear-shaped orecchiette tossed with spicy Italian sausage and pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe in a garlicky olive oil sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 lb broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 2 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water)
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Instructions
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1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water), and cook 1 lb orecchiette pasta until 2 minutes shy of al dente. In the last 2 minutes, add 1 lb trimmed, chopped broccoli rabe (rapini) to the boiling water. Reserve 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and broccoli rabe together.
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2
Meanwhile, heat half the 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb casings removed hot Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), about 7 minutes. Remove sausage from pan.
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3
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet. Add 6 cloves thinly sliced garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and cook until garlic turns golden, about 2 minutes.
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4
Add the drained pasta and broccoli rabe to the skillet, then return the sausage. Toss everything together, splashing in 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
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5
Remove from heat. Taste for seasoning and serve with 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese on top.