broccoli rabe pesto pasta with italian sausage

I make some version of this at least every other week. Typically I make it easy on myself by blanching and chopping broccoli rabe and cooking it with a little shallot, garlic, and Italian sausage. This version is a little brighter and punchier with the addition of basil and a lot more lemon. You could treat this pesto as a whatever-you-have-clean-out-the-fridge kind of thing by using arugula, spinach or broccoli in place (or in addition to) the broccoli rabe. You could substitute other nuts for the walnuts, like pine nuts, almonds, or even pumpkin seeds. You could also add an anchovy to the pesto, if you’re into that sort of thing. The pesto should last 3-4 days in the fridge.

Tools needed: a large pasta pot and a large pan or pot that will fit the past and sauce in. I use this Dutch oven. You could also strain your pasta, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, and transfer pasta, sausage, and pesto to the pasta pot.

Ingredients:

For the pesto:

1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed

2 cups basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 garlic cloves

1/2 lemon, juiced

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta:

1 lb rigatoni pasta, or other short pasta

1 lb fresh Italian pork or chicken sausage, casings removed

Note: if making a meatless version, sautéed 1 large shallot or half an onion in leu of the meat.

Step 1:

Blanch the broccoli rabe in a pot of boiling water. Have a bowl of ice water ready to shock them in when they come out of the pot. Squeeze the water out of the broccoli rabe and roughly chop.

Step 2:

Add the broccoli rabe, basil, lemon zest and juice, toasted walnuts, garlic, grated Parmesan to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the food processor still running, stream in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3:

Drop the pasta in a pot of salted water. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the box, minus 2 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.

Step 4:

While the pasta cooks, place a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. You want to cook the pasta in something large enough to transfer the pasta into once it’s cooked. Add a drizzle of olive oil and when it begins to shimmer, begin browning the loose sausage.

Step 5:

When the pasta is cooked, transfer to the pot with the sausage, along with 1/4 cup pasta water and all of the pesto. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir until the pasta and sausage is completely coated.