I prefer sausage to broccoli rabe

    Last night after being filled with disappointment because Bob Smith "canceled" his work with us for the night, I picked up the pieces and decided to cook. I don't know about any of you but I had never actually tasted broccoli rabe straight up. I know Aaron likes it (he just ordered it at a restaurant last week) so I gave it a go. I found a recipe online randomly for Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe.

   I gave it a shot since I love spicy sausage (lets get past that sentence...).

   Aaron liked it, I learned that I don't like broccoli rabe. There isn't too many foods I dislike. Bananas *vomit*, ham, pork chops. Not a huge fan of mango flavoring. Other than that, bring it on. Well we can now add broccoli rabe to that list. It's got a bitter taste I didn't expect which I'm told is the very thing fans of the dish enjoy! Learn something new everyday, right?

 Without further ado,  super easy recipe.

2 bunches of broccoli rabe (I used maybe 1 1/2. 2 seemed like a LOT) stalks trimmed and quartered.
1 lb  pasta of your choice
Olive Oil
1 lb or so of spicy sausage, casings removed (grossest process ever, but so yummy)
3 minced garlic cloves
Fresh grated parm (I use a parm/romano combo)
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes
S & P

    Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook for 2 minutes or so.

   Strain the rabe and keep the water on the stove.

This picture could not be less necessary. But it looked so lush and action filled...

Add pasta to that water and cook it up. Drain it and reserve about 1 C of the liquid for later.

   In a medium skillet heat the oil over flame. Add sausage and break it up with fork as it cooks. Cook about 8 minutes.

   Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage and let simmer for about 30 seconds. Toss in the strained rabe and mix it up. I added some extra olive oil at this time to keep it a nice texture.

   Add that mixture to the strained pasta in the pot and add reserve liquid from pasta 1/4 C at a time to keep moist. Stir in the parm/romano cheese and S&P to taste.   

  Then I curled up with Kindle and finished book 1 of the Hunger Games.

   Lesson learned. I'd really rather just eat pasta in a bowl with sausage in it. If you like broccoli rabe, give this a whirl because you may love it! It also only took about 20 minutes. In your face, Racheal Ray...


XO Autumn Van Weir