orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage
Recipes
Noodles & Pasta
Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
This is a very traditional dish from Italy's Puglia region, which is in the southern part of the country and the hot spot for culinary tours of Italy. The Puglians invented orecchiette, which means "little ears," and it's not uncommon to still see Italian nonnas (le nonne) making them by hand (a time-consuming task!). In Italian, this recipe is called "orecchiette con la cima di rapa e salsiccia." —Jenifer Mangione
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil (the better the quality, the better the taste), divided
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
- 1 pound italian sausage, not in casings
- 1 bunch of broccoli rabe, trimmed and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 packet (16 ounces) orecchiette, cooked as instructed and set aside warm
- parmigiano-reggiano, to taste
Directions
- Divide the olive oil and the garlic between two separate deep, large frying skillets, one of which is stainless steel and the other of which has an accompanying cover or lid. In the stainless steel skillet, warm the olive oil and garlic on low gradually, then increase to medium heat.
- Add the sausage and cook according to your personal preference (I like mine really crispy).
- When the sausage is about 10 minutes away from where you want it to be, begin to heat the other pan with the garlic and olive oil to medium. After five minutes, add the broccoli rabe and cover for five minutes. Then add the butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir and cover for about another minute. You want to make sure you don’t overcook it. It needs to retain that bright green color, yet be tender enough to eat. One of the biggest mistakes novice (and sometimes even experienced) home chefs make is to overcook vegetables. Food is art, and overcooked green veggies are not appealing! So, if you’re unsure, set a timer for five minutes. At medium heat and in a covered pan, 5 to 7 minutes should get it right where you want it to be.
- When the broccoli rabe is done, add the sausage to the pan, then stir. Then add in the orecchiette and stir everything together, still on medium heat, for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste.
- Please post below if you have questions or comments.
