Delicious Gluten Free Broccoli Rabe Sausage Pasta Food

ORECCHIETTE WITH SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• To blanch the broccoli rabe, fill a large bowl with ice water and set it aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut away a couple of inches of the thicker tough stems of the broccoli rabe, leaving the tender stems, buds and leaves. Cut or pull the leaves off the stems and tear the leaves into large pieces. Boil broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes until it's bright green and the stems are crisp-tender. IMPORTANT: Reserve one cup of the cooking water. Drain broccoli rabe in a colander and quickly plunge it into the ice water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain and set aside.
• To make the pan sauce, heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and sausages and sauté, stirring often, until the sausages are cooked through and browned in spots.
• Add the broccoli rabe to the skillet, along with the cup of broccoli rabe water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Turn heat to high and cook, stirring, until sauce is hot.
• Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette per package instructions, until al dente (cooked through but still firm to the bite.)
• Drain Orecchiette and return it to its cooking pot. Add 1/3 of the sausage-broccoli rabe sauce and toss over high heat. When combined and hot, remove from heat and mound onto a platter or into individual bowls. Top with remaining sauce and a generous sprinkle of Pecorino cheese.

PASTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE, BROCCOLI RABE AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roughly chop the broccoli rabe, add it to the pot, and cook for 3 minutes. Use a sieve or slotted spoon to lift the broccoli rabe from the water and place it in a colander to drain.
• Bring the water back to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or deep, 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don't worry if the sausage is not completely cooked through.) Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the wine and cook, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute.
• Add the broccoli rabe, chickpeas, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sausage is cooked through and the broccoli rabe is very tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, toss well, and cook over low heat until the sauce comes together, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add additional pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, if needed for moisture.
• Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice, and toss until the butter is melted. Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with additional cheese sprinkled on top.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Cut the broccoli rabe into 3 to 4 inch pieces, discarding the stems. In a large pot of rapidly boiling water, blanch the broccoli rabe until tender and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Before you drain broccoli rabe, reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Drain and rinse the broccoli rabe with cold water until it has cooled off. Spread it out on a towel to finish draining.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, place 2 tablespoons of water into a cold skillet with garlic and sausage and then turn heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden and sausage is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour reserved broccoli water into pan with sausage.
• When the pasta is cooked, drain it and place back in pot you cooked it in and season with salt. Pour sausage sauce over pasta and stir in cooked broccoli rabe. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.
• If the Queen's coming to dinner: Garnish with fresh bread crumbs and/or freshly grated pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese.