Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 1 pound Italian sausage, mild or hot, casings removed
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed and roughly chopped (or broccolini)
- 1 anchovy fillets, or 1 to 2 teaspoons anchovy paste, optional
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly microplaned, optional
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 lemon, zest from, optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 to 2 teaspoons, fresh, optional, add to taste
- as needed salt, to taste
- as needed black pepper, freshly cracked, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While the water heats, trim the tough stems from the broccoli rabe and roughly chop it. Once the water is boiling, blanch the chopped broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Remove the blanched greens from the water using a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside. Keep the boiling water for the pasta.
⏱️ 8 min
- 2
Add a generous pinch of salt to the same boiling water used for the broccoli rabe. Add the orecchiette pasta to the water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta.
⏱️ 12 min
- 3
While the pasta cooks, begin building the sauce. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. If using, add the anchovy fillets or anchovy paste to the hot olive oil. Stir and cook until the anchovies melt into the oil, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Add the Italian sausage (casings removed) to the pan. Break it up slightly with a spoon, then let it sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes to allow it to brown and develop a flavorful crust. Continue to cook, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces, until fully cooked through and nicely browned.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Add the thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan with the sausage. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. If using, deglaze the pan with the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 4 min
- 6
Add the blanched broccoli rabe back into the pan with the sausage mixture. Sauté everything together for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Add the cooked orecchiette pasta to the pan.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
If using, add the microplaned Parmigiano Reggiano and a splash (about 1/4 cup) of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss everything vigorously to combine, adding more pasta water as needed until a glossy, emulsified sauce coats the pasta and ingredients. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Finish the dish with the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice (if using). Toss once more and serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 1 pound Italian sausage, mild or hot, casings removed
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed and roughly chopped (or broccolini)
- 1 anchovy fillets, or 1 to 2 teaspoons anchovy paste, optional
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly microplaned, optional
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 lemon, zest from, optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 to 2 teaspoons, fresh, optional, add to taste
- as needed salt, to taste
- as needed black pepper, freshly cracked, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While the water heats, trim the tough stems from the broccoli rabe and roughly chop it. Once the water is boiling, blanch the chopped broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Remove the blanched greens from the water using a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside. Keep the boiling water for the pasta.
⏱️ 8 min - 2
Add a generous pinch of salt to the same boiling water used for the broccoli rabe. Add the orecchiette pasta to the water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta.
⏱️ 12 min - 3
While the pasta cooks, begin building the sauce. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. If using, add the anchovy fillets or anchovy paste to the hot olive oil. Stir and cook until the anchovies melt into the oil, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Add the Italian sausage (casings removed) to the pan. Break it up slightly with a spoon, then let it sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes to allow it to brown and develop a flavorful crust. Continue to cook, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces, until fully cooked through and nicely browned.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Add the thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan with the sausage. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. If using, deglaze the pan with the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 4 min - 6
Add the blanched broccoli rabe back into the pan with the sausage mixture. Sauté everything together for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Add the cooked orecchiette pasta to the pan.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
If using, add the microplaned Parmigiano Reggiano and a splash (about 1/4 cup) of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss everything vigorously to combine, adding more pasta water as needed until a glossy, emulsified sauce coats the pasta and ingredients. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Finish the dish with the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice (if using). Toss once more and serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min