Sausage Rapini Orecchiette

Ingredients:

1 pkg (500g) orecchiette pasta

• 3 cups coarsely chopped rapini
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound sweet italian sausage meat
• 1 cup thinly sliced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley, crushed red chilies (optional)

How to:

 

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water for 7 minutes. Add rapini and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water then drain pasta and rapini well and return to pot.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage meat, breaking up with spoon, for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove to a strainer to drain.

Return skillet to medium heat and add remaining oil. Cook onion and garlic for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add in pasta and rapini, sausage meat, cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in some of the cooking water to moisten, if necessary, and stir until well coated and heated through. Serve immediately and garnish with parsley, chilies and additional cheese, if using.