WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Orecchiette is a small, bowl-shaped pasta that’s perfect for catching and holding a variety of sauce types. (The name translates as “little ears.”) Orecchiette is also ideal for cradling chunky ingredients, like the broccoli rabe and sausage in this preparation. This hearty, subtly spicy pasta is an iconic southern Italian dish. We cooked the in the water used for cooking the broccoli rabe, as is traditional and it’s also quite convenient. The garlicky pork’s richness mingled beautifully with the vegetal bitterness of the greens. Tossing the sausage, rabe, and pasta with Pecorino and a bit of cooking water brought a touch of creamy texture to the finished dish.
Serves 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (1 cup)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat into rough ½-inch pieces with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the broccoli rabe and 1 tablespoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli rabe to the skillet with the sausage mixture.
- Return the water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sausage-broccoli rabe mixture, Pecorino cheese, and ⅓ cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to combine. Adjust the consistency with the remaining ⅔ cup of reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
