Orecchiette with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe

There are a few things that I grew up eating that most people do not thanks to having immigrant grandparents.  As I kid, I loathed these foods that were not "normal".  As an adult, I can't believe that a younger version of me did not embrace this.  Broccoli Rabe, known as rapini, is one of those things.  Even now, as an adult, most of my friends have no clue what this is.  If you have never used it, please let me introduce you.  If you have, you know how wonderful this peppery green is. 

This recipe seems labor intensive, but it sounds worse than it is.  All the steps are rather easy, just be sure to take the time to boil the broccoli rabe in boiling water first, before sautéing or it will be too bitter to eat.

Ingredients:
1/3 C + 1 T olive oil
1 1/2 lb broccoli rabe (trim off the tough woody ends)
1/2 C bread crumb
2 T sea salt
1 lb orecchiette pasta
1/2 lb ground sausage (I prefer a mix of sweet Italian and spicy Italian but either or both is fine)
4 garlic cloves, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 C grated romano cheese or parmigiano-reggiano
optional: shaved romano or parmigiano reggiano to top

Directions:

In a small sauté pan, heat 1 T olive oil over medium/low heat.  Add bread crumbs and stir, coating with oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes, until nicely toasted and brown.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with the salt.  Add the broccoli rabe and cook about 3 minutes (until the stems are just tender).  Using a scoop or tongs, remove the broccoli rabe and place in a colander.  Cool it by running under cold water.  Drain and squeeze out excess water.  Coarsely chop and set aside.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions (drain when done, reserving about 1/4 C of the cooking water).

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Add sausage, garlic and red pepper.  Break up the sausage.  Continue to cook until sausage is browned, about 10 minutes.  Add the broccoli rabe to sausage.  Cook together about 3 minutes.  Season with salt as needed.

Return cooked pasta to pot, add sausage mixture and cheese and stir well to combine over low heat.  If consistency is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water, 2 T at a time.

Divide pasta into individual bowls, top with toasted breadcrumbs and shaved cheese if desired.