Orecchiette pasta with rapini and sausage

Votes: 1

Time: 55 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4

Orecchiette pasta with broccoli rapini is a traditional dish from the Apulia region, which forms the heel of the Italian boot. To make the pasta more filling, it's topped with fried Italian sausage and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a piquant flavor. A perfect midweek dinner!

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
Shaved Parmesan, for serving
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
450 g sweet Italian sausage
900 g rapini, stems removed
450 g orecchiette pasta (ears)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: orecchiette pasta, sausage, rapini, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and discard the rendered fat in the skillet.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat. Add a large pinch of salt and the rabe and cook, uncovered, until the rabe is bright green and tender but still slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a colander with tongs (reserve the boiling water) and rinse under cold running water. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the rendered fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe, red pepper flakes, and 1.5 teaspoons of salt; increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until the broccoli rabe is heated through and tender, about 5 minutes.
Slice the sausage into 0.5 cm thick coins, add to the pan and stir well, cook until the sausage is heated through, about 5 more minutes.
Drain the pasta in a colander in the sink, discarding 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Stir the pasta and cooking liquid into the pan with the rapini. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or divide among plates, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Categories:

recipe / Simple and quick recipes / Simple pasta recipes / Summer dishes / Dinner / Main courses / Pasta / Meat / Vegetables and mushrooms / Food Network - recipes / Italian cuisine