Rigatoni Con Rapa E Salsiccia Recipe

1. Boil pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package directions). Reserve 3 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

2. When sauce is ready, return cooked rigatoni to the pan with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and toss over medium heat until the pasta is coated and al dente. If needed, add more reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, to loosen. Stir in 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan) and toss until creamy. Serve hot.

3. Brown the sausage

Heat a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking olive oil (from the 3 tbsp listed for cooking). Add the crumbled Italian sausage (casings removed) and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until nicely browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl, leaving rendered fat in the pan.

4. Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the finely chopped shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the thinly sliced garlic and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.

5. Cook the broccoli di rapa

After the aromatics are fragrant, add the trimmed and cut broccoli di rapa (rapini) to the pan. Toss to coat in the oil and aromatics and cook 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and cover the pan. Steam until the rapini is tender and bright green, about 3–4 minutes. If you prefer it softer, cook an additional 1–2 minutes.

6. Add sun-dried tomatoes

Uncover and stir in the julienned sun-dried tomatoes; cook 1 minute to warm them and release flavor.

7. Deglaze and combine

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add 1 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid reduce slightly for 2–3 minutes.

8. Return sausage and create sauce

Return the cooked sausage to the pan and stir to combine. Add 1/2 to 1 cup additional reserved pasta water to create a silky sauce—start with 1/2 cup and add more as needed. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes so the flavors meld. Season with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and adjust salt to taste.