Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

1 16 ounce package of shell pasta (I like orecchiette)

1 pound Italian Sausage (I usually get half hot and half regular)

1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut off just above the band and discard the stems

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, minced

Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Put some salted water on to boil for the pasta.  Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Put a dash of olive oil in the pan and add the onion once the oil is hot, followed by about half the garlic.  Cook for a minute or two.  Squeeze the sausage out of the casing in bite size chunks, tossing frequently.  Once the water starts to boil, add the broccoli rabe for a quick blanching, removing from the pot after less than a minute (don’t dump the water, just fish out the broccoli rabe with a strainer or tongs).  Quickly rinse the broccoli rabe in very cold water (or submerge in an ice bath).  Once the water boils again in a minute or two, add the pasta and cook according to directions on the package.  Chop the rabe, if you like into smaller pieces.  Heat another pan and then add a bit of olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add the rest of the garlic, then the broccoli rabe.  Sauté for a few minutes until the rabe starts to soften a bit.  I then sprinkle a bit of sugar (maybe a few teaspoons) on the rabe, which helps to remove a bit of the bitterness (which makes it much more edible for our kids–if I were making this just for me, I’d skip the sugar).  Toss the rabe in with the sausage.  Once the pasta is done, strain and mix immediately with the sausage/rabe.  Toss in about 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately with additional parmesan.  Serves 6.

Wine Suggestion:  I would start with a Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo in mind, and depending on how much heat is in the sausages, you could go bigger with a Syrah or even a Cabernet Sauvignon.  If you have no heat in the sausage, you could even go Chardonnay.