Bari is known for its orecchiette (ear shaped pasta) and rabe (comparable to a combination of broccoli and kale). The rabe exudes such a unique sweet – salty flavour, that you can make it with or without the sausage. It’s so delicious and can be knocked together within 20 minutes so if you fancy a night of easy indulgence, I’d recommend this recipe any day.
Ingredients (serves 4)
750g broccoli rabe – if you can’t get hold of it, grab some kale and broccoli
200g sweet Italian sausage – any sausage, or none if desired.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
200ml chicken stock
Pecorino Romano, freshly grated – however much you like.
500g orecchiette, enough for 4
1 onion – thinly sliced
Method:
- If using broccoli rabe, take all the leaves and broccoli flowers of the stems and dispose of any large, hard leaves. If using kale and broccoli, roughly chop.
- Peel the skin away from the sausage until you’re left with soft pieces of meat and heat a pan of salted water.
- In a pan, add 1tbsp oil until hot, then throw in the onion, sausage and garlic. Leave until the onions have softened.
- Add the remaining oil and butter to the sausage mixture and mix in the broccoli rabe. Stir, and leave to simmer for a couple of minutes.
- When the water is boiling, pour in the oriechette.
6. Add the chicken stock and seasoning to the broccoli and sausage mixture and cover for up to 5 minutes, until the sauce has condensed down. Keep checking the pasta, ensuring that you don’t cook it past the al dente stage (there should always be a slight bite to the pasta)
7. Drain the water, keeping a little of the starchy water in a separate mug in case you need it, and mix with the broccoli mixture*.
8. Serve, with freshly grated pecorino romano, or parmesan and serve.
*Depending on how liquidy you like your pasta, feel free to add the starchy water as this coats the pasta better than just pure water.
We ate this dish with a glass of Puglian red wine as I thought it’d compliment the strong pecorino and flavours of the spicy sausage. I used rocket as the ‘healthy’ accompaniment but some fresh foccacia would work well, especially to mop up the juices!
Verdict? 
