Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, and White Beans

Good Evening!

I snapped a pic of today's dinner (a regular dish on our household's rotation) and wanted to post with instructions for everyone to follow!

First off, broccoli rabe (aka rapini) is a bitter green but delicious when cooked properly.  (Normally, it's approx. 2.99/lb but during holidays, is usually 99 cents/lb.)  As a side dish, it is normally sauteed in EVOO with garlic and pepper flakes.  In this dish, it is mixed with homemade sausage and pasta!  Let's get started.

(Serves 4)

Step One - Start a large pot of water to boil.  In the meantime, crumble your Italian sausage and start to cook.  (I prefer sweet sausage, but that's a personal preference.  Tonight's dinner was made with T's father's homemade sweet sausage.)

Step Two - While the sausage is cooking, add the chopped broccoli rabe (bite size pieces) to the boiling water and cook for approximately 5 minutes until bright green.  (1 head of broccoli rabe will feed 4.)  Remove from the water with a spoon and drain.  Leave the water boiling and add your orecchiette.

Step Three - Add about 3-4 cloves of minced garlic to the sausage and continue to sautee until golden.  Add the drained broccoli rabe and a can of drained and rinsed white beans.  (Any type bean will do.... I used cannellini.)

Step Four - Finish pasta until al dente.  Reserve approx. 1-2 cups of cooking water and drain the pasta.  Add pasta to the broccoli/sausage/bean mixture.  Use reserved water as needed until desired pasta texture.  (Some like it soupy, some don't.)

Step Five - Plate and then coat with freshly grated or shaved Parmigiano cheese.

Step Six - Serve with crusty bread!  And enjoy tomorrow's leftovers just as much cold or warm!

Side Notes - Flexible dish, people!  Use any type pasta.  Use spinach or another green if you prefer.  Pancetta or shredded pork meat instead of sausage.. the possibilities are endless!