The Nest

Friday, June 22, 2007 9:23 AM

Easiest Pasta Ever

A few weeks ago I attended a wedding in Northern Italy on Lake Orta San Giulio.(It's behind me in the photo...talk about George Clooney summer homes!) On one of our nights in the town square, I had a wonderful, simple pasta at a local trattoria (you know, the kind of dish that you still dream about, even though you can't fit in your pants afterward). At home, I recreated it for dinner, and it's so easy I wanted to share:

Orecchiette (it means "little ears") with sausage and broccoli rabe:

1 lb. dried orecchiette pasta (I used Delverde)
2 bunches broccoli rabe
4 oversize links sweet italian sausage* (prick the edge of each with a sharp knife to remove the casings)
Olive oil (I rarely measure, but I'd guess 4-5 Tablespoons)
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Red wine (for you to drink while you're cooking)
Gypsy kings CD (for you to play while you're cooking)

*Tip from the butcher at Dean and Deluca: Instead of buying spicy sausage, buy sweet italian sausage and kick it up with red pepper flakes. It infuses the dish with bite without overwhelming the overall flavor.

Heat salted water in your pasta pot over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, wash your broccoli rabe and remove the woody ends so you just have the tender parts. Roughly chop so the pieces are bite-size and add to a saute pan drizzled with olive oil on medium heat and season w/ salt and pepper. When they turn bright green, kill the heat and keep covered. Add your sausage to a hot cast iron pan and break up into crumbly pieces as it browns, adding the pepper flakes as you go. When the water hits a rolling boil, add your orecchiette, reduce heat and cook 'til al dente (chewy). Drain, and add your broccoli and sausage to the pasta pot. Generously grate parmesan into the mixture and season with salt and cracked pepper. Bring the cheese to the table to grate over people's individual dishes. 

Serves 4 with generous leftovers...or if you're like my husband and I, a midnight snack.

Share your favorite pasta recipe with me!