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Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

7 garlic cloves (3 quartered and 4 crushed)
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound), trimmed
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
1 small dried red chile, crumbled, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound sweet Italian sausages with fennel, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
12 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 4 wedges (or 4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, drained and seeded, cut into 4 wedges)
1 pound rigatoni, cooked
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the quartered garlic in the center of a square of foil lined with parchment paper. Fold up the edges of the foil to form sides. Drizzle the garlic with 3 tablespoons oil, and season with salt. Fold the foil up over the garlic to seal, forming a pouch. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast the garlic until soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

    Step 2

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add the broccoli rabe, and cook until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces; set aside. Puree the sun-dried tomatoes in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

    Step 3

    Cook the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the crushed garlic, the chile, and a pinch of salt in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage; cook, stirring often, until browned, about 10 minutes.

    Step 4

    Stir in the broccoli rabe, sun-dried-tomato puree, and plum tomatoes. Cook until the liquid has reduced, 10 to 12 minutes more.

    Step 5

    Toss the cooked pasta with roasted garlic. Stir the pasta mixture into the sauce in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.
Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.
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