ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH BROCCOLI RABE, SAUSAGE, AND PECORINO CHEESE

Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, Sausage, and Pecorino Cheese image

The combination of sausage, broccoli rabe, and Italian Pecorino cheese from lamb's milk is incredible.

Provided by Larry Alex

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Sausage

Time 30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 ½ bunches broccoli rabe
1 (16 ounce) package orecchiette pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
3 Italian pork sausages, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 ounces bread crumbs
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ounce shaved Pecorino cheese, or more to taste

Steps:

Bring 4 to 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
Cut 1 to 1 1/2 inches off of the bottom of the broccoli rabe stalks; cut into 1 1/2-inch sections.
Place trimmed broccoli rabe and orecchiette into the boiling water and boil until pasta is tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 6 minutes; stir in garlic and cook until sausage is browned and crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Heat a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Stir in bread crumbs. Cook until browned and crunchy, about 5 minutes.
Drain the pasta pot. Add drained broccoli rabe and orecchiette to the sausage. Add red pepper flakes and 1/2 of the bread crumbs and stir well.
Transfer 1/2 the pasta mixture to a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 the Pecorino cheese. Add remaining pasta mixture to the bowl and top with remaining cheese; mix well. Top with remaining bread crumbs.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 565 calories, Carbohydrate 71.8 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Fat 20.8 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 23.6 g, SaturatedFat 5.6 g, Sodium 657.4 mg, Sugar 3.7 g