Saturday, November 5, 2011

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe, Ricotta and Chicken Sausage

I stumbled upon a recipe on Real Simple's website for Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage that looked really easy with only a few ingredients. But, of course, I didn't have what they wanted, so I substituted what was in my fridge and pantry.
You'll need:
1 package orecchiette pasta
1 bunch broccoli rabe (stems cut off)
1 packaged 1/2 fat ricotta cheese
Italian seasoning and any spices or herbs you like
1 package chicken or turkey sausage


I started by boiling the pasta to al dente, and set it aside in the strainer, saving 1-2 cups of the pasta water.

Next, I put the broccoli rabe, ricotta cheese, and spices into the food processor with the leftover cup of pasta water.
I removed the casing from the chicken sausage, sliced it, and cooked it in my non-stick skillet until it was warmed throughout (I bought the pre-cooked kind).
Next, I put the pasta back into the pot, added the ricotta/broccoli rabe mixture, and mixed in the chicken sausage.
Mike had to add some Cayenne pepper, I think red pepper flakes would have also done the trick. I added a little more of the pasta water to lessen the thickness of the sauce, but this was an overall great dish. The leftovers for lunch the next day were even better!
*You could always add some frozen peas, or extra kale to it to increase the vegetables, just save a little more pasta water and add a few more spices to keep the sauce thin enough for the pasta to absorb.


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