Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Pasta, sausage, broccoli rabe, garlic, chicken broth, butter, pecorino romano, and red pepper flakes ALL IN ONE BOWL?!  STOP!  There are certain things you just have to pause and give thanks for, and this is one of them.  I'm a sucker for pasta, so it's challenging that I have a gluten intolerance.   

When I lived in Italy (before I was diagnosed) I ate it every day!  I'm not kidding.  Every day!  If you didn't know, a typical Italian lunch consists of a first course (il primo) of pasta or sometimes rice.  The second course (il secondo) is usually some kind of meat or fish served with a side dish (il contorno) which is a vegetable or salad.  Then to finish it all off there's fruit, dessert, and coffee.  What's that you asked?  Was there wine involved.  Yes!  Did I nap?  How did you know?  You bet I did!   

This is a great time for me to teach you about  "pausa pranzo."  It's between the hours of 1-4pm when Italian businesses and shops close, similar to the Spanish siesta.  That's what you do in Italy; eat a good lunch, drink some wine, and take a nice little nap.  Who was I to fight it?!  It's a beautiful life!  It was really hard to move back to America and re-acclimate to eating at my desk after I got so accustomed to that.  Ahhhh, the things I miss from Italy.   

I substitute with a lot of gluten-free pasta now.  I like wheat, but it doesn't like me.  And these spirals from Trader Joe's are made from brown rice instead of semolina/wheat flour.  The original recipe calls for orecchiette.  This is a phenomenal one-dish meal.  One of my biggest enjoyments is that it was Drew's first time trying broccoli rabe, and he loved it! 

Recipe for Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe:

Adapted from Once Upon a Chef

Ingrediets:

• 1 pound pasta of choice, original recipe calls for orecchiette,  I used gluten free spirals

• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 pound broccoli rabe, ends trimmed

• 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

• 1 lemon, divided into thirds

Instructions:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the broccoli rabe to the pot of boiling water and cook for 4-6 minutes or until it turns bright green.  Drain.  Set aside. 

2. Using the same pot you made the broccoli rabe in, bring a fresh pot of water (lightly salted) to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.  Drain when done and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking apart with a spoon,  until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  

4. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, chicken broth, broccoli rabe, salt and red pepper flakes.  Squeeze 1/3 of the lemon over the broccoli rabe.  Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavorful brown bits, for 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the butter until melted and simmer for a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.  

5. Add the pasta to the skillet with the sausage and broccoli rabe.  Add half of the cheese and toss to blend.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  

6. Plate and top with remaining grated cheese. 

7. Use remaining lemon to squeeze over broccoli rabe, if needed.