Cavatelli with Turkey Sausage, Tomato, and Broccoli Rabe

by Allysa Torey
from At Home with Magnolia
(John Wiley & Sons, 2006)
Makes 6 servings

You’ll find cavatelli pasta in the frozen foods section of your grocery store, with the ravioli. Many people have never tasted cavatelli, and it really has a taste and texture all its own. For this pasta dish, I took two traditionally paired ingredients — sausage and broccoli rabe — but changed it up a bit using turkey sausage and adding just a bit of tomato.—Allysa Torey

convert Ingredients
1 pound broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped (2-to-3-inch pieces are good)
6 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 pounds frozen ricotta cavatelli
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

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Method
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil over high heat. Bring a second large saucepan of water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe to the saucepan and cook until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and plunge the broccoli rabe into a large bowl of cold water. Transfer to a salad spinner and spin dry. Set aside.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a shallow Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and stirring often, until the sausage is in small pieces and is thoroughly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the garlic.

3. Meanwhile, add the cavatelli to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package directions, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes and the salt to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

5. Drain the cavatelli and add to the Dutch oven with the broccoli rabe and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, tossing gently to evenly coat. Cook for 2 minutes more.

6. Serve immediately with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black pepper to taste.

Recipe © 2006 by Allysa Torey. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.