Orecchiette, Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
Orecchiette, Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
I have been hyper fixated on making this dish lately. There is just something about broccoli rabe in season now (called cime di rapa in Italian), the delicious sausage from the butcher and orecchiette that is hand made that create a magical combination. The flavors are just so comforting!
The other thing that is so great about this dish is that it’s a fresh pasta that you don’t need any fancy equipment to make. Orecchiette is made with semola, water, it’s rested and then hand dragged across a wooden board. You can see details for how to make orecchiette here.
I’m really into simple no nonsense food and am not one to blanche veggies before sauteeing. I used to make this dish by adding the washed broccoli rabe directly to the pan with the sausage, and sauteeing without parcooking BUT I tried parcooking the broccoli rabe once after a suggestion from the butcher and now I can’t cook it any other way. There is something special that happens when you pre-cook the broccoli rabe before combining it with the sausage to cook together. It’s as if the pores of the broccoli rabe open to allow the flavor of the sausage to marry together,and result in a more tasty pasta dish.
While broccoli rabe is certainly the star of the dish, the artisanal sausage from the butcher is more than just a supporting role. If you’ve happened to have taken a pasta class with me where we cooked with sausage from the Val D’Arno Butchers at the Sant’Ambrogio market you know exactly what I mean. It’s what’s considered a classic sausage here that is seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. It does have some fat that adds to the flavor but it’s not too much fat it’s the perfect amount. This kind of sausage would be most similar to what is called sweet Italian sausage in the US so you can use that or sub in your favorite sausage just take into consideration the cooking time of the sausage you’re using. With the sausage I use it’s an under 30 minute meal, so if your sausage needs to cook longer to fully cook through and be tender please do so.
I didn’t use chili but you can definitely add some when you add the garlic for a little kick.
Lastly, I think you should try this with handmade orecchiette but if that’s not possible this sauce pairs well with a short pasta like a rigatoni or mezze maniche.
Orecchiette, Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 sausages
6 cups chopped broccoli rabe
2 cloves garlic, smashed
EVOO & salt to taste
Method:
Chop the broccoli rabe into medium pieces and wash at least 3 times. Drain and then boil in salted water for 6 minutes. Remove the broccoli rabe from the cooking water carefully, and place in a sieve so that the water drains out. Reserve the cooking water in the pot as you will use this water to cook the pasta later.
Chopped Broccoli Rabe
While the broccoli rabe cooks, remove the sausage from the casing by cutting a slit down the middle, break into bite size pieces and add to a pan with a drizzle of EVOO. Cook until no longer pink. Once the sausage is cooked on the outside, push to the back of the pan, add garlic, sauté until golden, then mix with sausage.
Sausage in bite size pieces
Add broccoli rabe and 1 cup reserved cooking water. Simmer for 20 min so all the flavors meld and the sausage finishes cooking. Season with salt to taste.
Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
Cook orecchiette until al dente. I start out cooking them for 6 minutes, and then check for doneness adding more time if necessary. Add the orecchiette to the pan with sauce, splash in pasta cooking water to marry everything, and serve immediately.
Orecchiette, Sausage & Broccoli Rabe
