Orcchiette Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

One day my boyfriend and I went out to eat in Little Italy and he order a dish that he said was exactly like what I make at home for him! Why spend $25 when you can do it at home? It's a really warm and filling dish that you won't be able to get enough of! You can add tomatoes to it if you wish and adjust the garlic, hotness and oil to your liking. Enjoy! I serve this with Romano cheese and crushed red pepper.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 649 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon onion salt
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives
• ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (16 ounce) package orecchiette pasta
• 2 bunches broccoli rabe, trimmed and chopped
• 6 (4 ounce) links hot Italian sausage

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the orcchiette and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Step 2

At the same time, bring another large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in the broccoli rabe, and cook uncovered until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, and return to the pot along with the orcchiette pasta.

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, and cook until firm turning frequently, about 5 minutes. Cut the sausage into 1/2 inch pieces, and sprinkle with the minced garlic, salt, onion salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink in the center, and beginning to brown on the cut sides, about 5 minutes more. Once done, stir the sausage mixture into the pasta along with the sliced black olives to serve.