This orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe is my adapted version of Ina Garten’s recipe from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof. Made with ground Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, white wine, broccoli rabe and Parmesan, it is hearty, flavorful and officially approved for our dinner rotation.
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Cooking With the Experts: Episode Two
Welcome to Episode Two of Cooking With the Experts, my series where I cook my way through recipes from celebrity chefs, food bloggers and the talented home cooks behind old church cookbooks.
The idea is not simply to recreate someone else’s recipe. I want to spend time with the cookbooks I already own, learn from people who know their way around a kitchen and share what happens when I bring their recipes into my own home.
For Episode One of Cooking With the Experts, I made Brunch With Babs’ roasted sausage, peppers and gnocchi. It was wonderfully simple, and the buttery finish surprised me in the best way.
For Episode Two, I decided it was time to cook with the queen herself: Ina Garten.
Cooking From Barefoot Contessa Foolproof
I have owned Ina Garten’s cookbook Barefoot Contessa Foolproof for years. Years. And until now, I had never actually made anything from it.
I have certainly flipped through it. I have admired the photography, marked recipes I wanted to try and left it sitting beautifully among my other cookbooks. But apparently, I had never taken the important step of actually cooking from it.
That is one of the reasons I started Cooking With the Experts. Cookbooks are meant to have sauce splattered across their pages, notes written in the margins and favorite recipes that open automatically because you have made them so many times.
For my first recipe from Foolproof, I chose Ina’s Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage, which appears on page 152. It sounded like the kind of complete pasta dinner my family would enjoy, and it gave me the opportunity to cook with broccoli rabe, an ingredient I do not use nearly enough.
You can find Barefoot Contessa Foolproof through Ina Garten’s official cookbook page. The original recipe is also available through Food Network, although the online version differs slightly from the recipe printed in my cookbook.
What Is Orecchiette?
Orecchiette is a small, round pasta from southern Italy. Its name means “little ears,” which makes sense as soon as you see its slightly cupped shape.
That shape makes it especially good with a chunky sauce like this one. The little cups catch pieces of ground sausage, crushed tomato, broccoli rabe and Parmesan, giving you a little of everything in each bite.
If you enjoy easy pasta dinners with Italian sausage, try my Sausage Alfredo Ravioli, too. It uses frozen ravioli and a simple Alfredo sauce for a very approachable weeknight meal.
What Does Broccoli Rabe Taste Like?
Broccoli rabe, also called rapini, is a leafy green with small buds that resemble broccoli. Despite the name and appearance, it has a more assertive and slightly bitter flavor than ordinary broccoli.
That bitterness works in this recipe. It cuts through the richness of the sausage, tomatoes and Parmesan and keeps the finished pasta from feeling too heavy.
Ina’s method also makes preparing it remarkably simple. Instead of cooking the broccoli rabe separately, you add it directly to the pasta pot during the final few minutes of cooking.
Ina Really Does Have the Timing Down
One of my favorite things about making this recipe was seeing exactly why Ina calls this cookbook Foolproof.
Her instructions say to cook the orecchiette for exactly nine minutes before adding the broccoli rabe to the same pot. Not approximately nine minutes. Exactly nine.
I set the timer, followed the directions and added the broccoli rabe when it went off. The pasta and greens then cooked together for another two to three minutes.
It worked beautifully. The pasta was al dente, the broccoli rabe was tender without becoming mushy and I only needed one pot for both. Ina really does know what she is doing.
What I Did Differently From Ina Garten’s Recipe
I used Ina’s recipe as my guide, but I made several practical changes based on what I had and what felt right in my kitchen.
I Used One Can of Crushed Tomatoes
The recipe printed in my copy of Barefoot Contessa Foolproof calls for two 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes. That felt like a lot of tomato for one pound of pasta and one pound of sausage, so I used one 28-ounce can instead.
For me, it was the right decision. There was still plenty of tomato sauce to coat the orecchiette, but the pasta did not feel overwhelmed by it. The sausage, broccoli rabe, wine and Parmesan could all still be tasted.
I Used White Wine Instead of Red
Ina’s recipe calls for dry red wine. I used dry white wine because that was the bottle I already had open.
I was not going to open an entire bottle of red, use half a cup and risk wasting the rest. Besides, I am not emotionally ready to switch from white wine to red for the year.
The white wine turned out beautifully. It added brightness and acidity to the sauce without making it feel too rich. I would happily use it again.
I Used Ground Mild Italian Sausage
The original recipe uses a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausage links. The links are roasted in the oven, sliced and then browned in the pot.
I could not find hot Italian sausage, so I used one pound of ground mild Italian sausage. I browned it directly in my sauté pan, eliminating the oven step entirely.
Using ground sausage also distributed it more evenly throughout the sauce. There were savory little pieces tucked into the orecchiette instead of larger slices.
To replace the missing heat from the hot sausage, I added approximately one teaspoon of crushed red pepper. The heat level was perfect for us. It had a noticeable kick without overpowering the rest of the dish.
Tips for Making Orecchiette With Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Follow the Pasta Timing
Set a timer for nine minutes as soon as the orecchiette goes into the boiling water. That is when you will add the prepared broccoli rabe.
Save Some Pasta Water
Before draining the pasta and broccoli rabe, reserve about half a cup of the cooking water. The starch in the water helps loosen the sauce and allows it to cling to the pasta.
You may not need all of it. Add a little at a time after combining the pasta with the sauce and Parmesan.
Use Freshly Grated Parmesan
Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly into the pasta than the shelf-stable grated variety. It also has a stronger, nuttier flavor, which matters in a recipe with relatively simple ingredients.
Adjust the Crushed Red Pepper
One teaspoon gave our pasta the right amount of heat, but you can easily adjust it. Start with half a teaspoon for a milder dish or add more if your family prefers spicy Italian sausage.
Is This a Good Weeknight Dinner?
This orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe takes about 40 minutes using ground sausage, making it very manageable for a weeknight.
The tomato and sausage sauce simmers while the pasta cooks, and adding the broccoli rabe to the pasta pot keeps the process streamlined. You will need a pasta pot and a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, but the steps overlap well.
The finished dish also reheats nicely, so leftovers make an easy lunch or dinner the following day.
For more practical meals, browse my collection of easy dinner recipes or visit the complete pasta recipe collection. If your family loves creamy pasta, my Baked Chicken Spaghetti with Boursin Cheese is another reader favorite.
My Honest Verdict
This was exactly what I hoped Cooking With the Experts would be.
I finally cooked from a cookbook I had owned for years, used an ingredient I do not reach for often and learned a clever way to time pasta and broccoli rabe so they finish together.
I also learned that Ina’s recipes leave room for real life. I used the sausage I could find, the wine I already had open and the amount of tomatoes that felt right to me. The finished pasta was still absolutely delicious.
Now that I have finally broken in my copy of Foolproof, I cannot wait to cook more from it. Ina has earned her place as the queen, and this orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe earned a place in our dinner rotation.
If you want another recipe from the series, start with Brunch With Babs’ roasted sausage, peppers and gnocchi. Then come back for the next episode of Cooking With the Experts.
Ina's Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 1 lb milk italian pork sausage (links with the casing removed, or ground sausage)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28 ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- ½ cup dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water and to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb dried orecchiette pasta
- 2 bunches broccoli rabe or baby broccoli
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- reserved pasta water, as needed (I used about ½ cup)
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it apart as it browns. Drain any excessive grease if necessary.
- Add the olive oil, sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring frequently so the garlic does not burn.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, white wine, tomato paste, kosher salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer while you prepare the pasta and broccoli rabe.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook for exactly 9 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, trim the broccoli rabe just below the leaves and discard the thick stems. Cut the remaining leafy portions into approximately 2-inch pieces.
- While the pasta cooks, trim the broccoli rabe just below the leaves and discard the thick stems. Cut the remaining leafy portions into approximately 2-inch pieces.
- After the pasta has cooked for 9 minutes, add the broccoli rabe directly to the same pot. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli rabe is crisp-tender.
- Reserve approximately ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli rabe together.
- Add the drained pasta and broccoli rabe to the sausage and tomato sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- If the pasta seems dry, add the reserved cooking water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta nicely.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper or crushed red pepper as needed. Serve hot with additional Parmesan.
Notes
- Tomatoes: The recipe in my copy of Barefoot Contessa Foolproof calls for two 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes. I used only one because 56 ounces felt like it would overwhelm the other ingredients. One can gave me plenty of sauce while allowing the sausage and broccoli rabe to stand out.
- Wine: Ina calls for dry red wine, but I used dry white wine because that was the bottle I already had open. I didn’t want to open a bottle of red and risk wasting it, and the white wine turned out beautifully.
- Sausage: The original combines mild and hot Italian sausage. I could not find hot sausage, so I used all mild Italian sausage and added approximately 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper. The level of heat was perfect for us.
- Follow the nine-minute timer: Ina has the timing down to a T. Cook the orecchiette for exactly 9 minutes before adding the broccoli rabe to the same pot.
- Reserve the pasta water: Scoop it out before draining. You may not need all of it, but a splash helps the sauce and Parmesan coat the orecchiette.
- Broccoli rabe is pleasantly bitter: That slight bitterness balances the rich sausage, tomatoes and cheese. It becomes milder as it cooks.
- This recipe was adapted for Episode Two of Cooking With the Experts. See Episode One featuring Brunch With Babs and learn more about the inspiration behind the series.
