Food Week Q & A (Recipes: Penne with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe)

Christina said… If you feel like sharing that penne/turkey sausage/broccoli rabe recipe, I’d be much obliged!
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H. said… …Also, can you share your recipe for the penne/turkey/broccoli rabe? It looks awesome! Thanks,Hope
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Tiz said… Hello from sunny Australia! Loving your blog as always, there is nothing better than watching kids enjoy healthy food! I would like to second the request for the recipe of your Turkey, Broccoli, Pasta dish, it looks wonderful!! Thanks again, Tamsin
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Penne with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

I made up this recipe based on a dish I ate at a restaurant called Ciao in Basking Ridge, NJ. Since I totally made this up I don’t have precise measurements or anything, but here is what I do:

1 box penne (can use whole wheat or regular or whatever you like)
1 package of lean turkey sausage, sweet Italian style
1 big bunch of fresh broccoli rabe
olive oil
fresh garlic (about 2-3 cloves, chopped)
salt, pepper, dried oregano
fresh good quality parmesan cheese

Get big pot of water boiling. Place large saute pan over medium heat. While pan is heating up, remove sausage from casings and crumble into bite-sized pieces. Add some olive oil to the hot pan (maybe about 1 tablespoon). Add sausage and garlic to pan. Season with salt, pepper, oregano to taste. Stir occasionally until sausage is cooked through and fully crumbled. Meanwhile, add pasta to boiling water, seasoned with salt to taste. While sausage and pasta are cooking, chop up broccoli rabe into pieces about 2-3 inches long (I use the stems, leaves, crowns, and all). About 3-4 minutes before pasta is fully cooked, add broccoli rabe to the pot with the boiling pasta. Continue to boil until pasta is done al dente and broccoli rabe is just cooked through (tender, but still firm). Strain pasta and broccoli rabe from the water, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Mix together the pasta, broccoli rabe, and sausage mixture from the pan. If it seems too dry, add the 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and/or more olive oil. Serve with freshly grated parmesan. Yum!