Serves 4
A classic dish, but with modern proportions. Always use a short pasta for this dish so that you can catch all of the ingredients in one bite. Leave the seeds in the pepperoncini if you want a super spicy sauce.
2 cups whole wheat rigatoni or other shaped pasta
Canola oil for the pot
8 small pepperoncini, with or without seeds, chopped
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 cups broccoli rabe, blanched and shocked (see here), cut into bite-sized pieces
½ cup Garlic Puree (here)
¾ pound chicken sausage (about 3 links), cut into ½-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Grated pecorino cheese, optional
Crumbled feta cheese, optional
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.
Wipe out the pot with paper towels, slick with canola oil, and heat over medium heat. Add the pepperoncini and sliced garlic and sauté until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Add 2 cups water, the broccoli rabe, and ¼ cup of the garlic puree, then add the sausage. Cook until the sausage loses its pink color. If the liquid in the pan has evaporated, add enough of the reserved pasta water to the pot so that it will coat all of the ingredients.
Transfer the pasta to the pot and stir in the remaining ¼ cup garlic puree. Cook, tossing, until the sauce clings to the pasta. Season with the salt and pepper and serve warm with the cheeses for garnish, if desired.