There are many, many variations on this orecchiette dish. Rightfully so, it’s a straightforward combination that can be quickly and easily made. This dish is a blast of flavors. The sweetness from the Italian sausage, the mild bitterness from the broccoli rabe, the heat from the red pepper, the hint of garlic, the squirt of lemon, and the mild pasta all combine nicely to form a healthful and extremely tasty meal.

Don't forget the Parmesan!

This combination is not much different than many that are out there. I’m not sure that lemon juice is in many of the versions, but I find that a little bit of the acidic citrus really brightens up the dish. It also balances out the mild bitterness of the broccoli rabe. If you can’t get broccoli rabe, you can use any other bitter green leaf lettuce (kale, mustard greens, or spinach are good options, prepare them the same way), or even broccoli florets.

Ingredients
1/2 pound broccoli rabe, thick stems trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 pound orecchiette
Parmesan cheese, for serving
about half a lemon

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cut broccoli rabe and boil for about a minute. Scoop out the broccoli rabe and put into a large bowl of ice water (to stop the cooking process). Keep the water, you are going to re-use this pot.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil, then the sausage. Break the sausage into small pieces and cook until it browns, about 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. About 5 minutes into the cooking time of the sausage, return the large pot of water to high heat to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Cooking time varies from brand to brand, 8 minutes is about average, check after 6.
4. Strain the pasta. Strain the broccoli rabe. Return the pasta to the empty pot, add the broccoli rabe and the sausage. Squeeze about a quarter to a half of a lemon into the pot. Toss to combine. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Health tip: Using turkey sausage will make this dish even healthier. Add a pinch more red pepper flakes and a pinch of Italian herbs to boost the flavor.

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