ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH RABE AND SAUSAGE
Pasta, Vegetables, Meat
Intermediate

ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH RABE AND SAUSAGE

Classic orecchiette with garlicky rabe and browned sausage finished with pecorino.

"IT’S OH SO GOOD!" - Alexia

35 Minutes
Total Time
4
Servings
Intermediate
Level

Ingredients

  • 1 lb orecchiette pasta
  • 1-1/2 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage (ground, out of casing)
  • 2 bunches fresh broccoli rabe (rapini)
  • 6 cloves fresh garlic (thinly sliced)
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • Garlic salt (to taste)
  • Cracked black pepper (to taste)
  • Red chili flakes (to taste)

Instructions

1

Cook the Sausage

Add 4–5 tablespoons of olive oil into a large pan. Add the ground sausage and cook until fully browned and golden. Remove and set aside.

2

Prepare the Rabe

Wash the rabe thoroughly and trim off the lower stems. Roughly chop into 1-inch pieces.

3

Boil the Rabe

Add the rabe to a large pot filled about 1/4 of the way with water (do not season). Cook on high for about 10 minutes until dark green, tender, and wilted. Drain and set aside.

4

Sauté Garlic and Chili Flakes

In the same pan used for the sausage, add a few more tablespoons of olive oil. Add sliced garlic and red chili flakes to taste. Sauté until slightly golden brown.

5

Combine Rabe and Sausage

Add the cooked rabe into the pan. Season with cracked black pepper and garlic salt. Sauté for a few minutes, then return the sausage to the pan. Stir well to combine and set aside.

6

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the orecchiette and cook until al dente.

7

Toss Everything Together

Transfer the pasta directly from the pot into the sausage and rabe mixture using a hand strainer, letting some pasta water mix in.

8

Finish with Cheese and Olive Oil

Fold in grated Pecorino Romano cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and top with more cheese before serving.

9

Serve and Enjoy

Plate it up and dig in — it’s oh so good!