Penne Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

One of my best friends taught me how to make this very simple dish. Her Italian mother always made it for dinner on those nights when she didn't have a lot of time to cook. Pair it with a simple salad for a quick and balanced meal.

Makes 6 servings

1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of rapidly boiling water, boil the broccoli rabe until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain broccoli rabe and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente (cooked but slightly crunchy). While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté garlic and crushed red pepper for 1 minute. Add sausage to the skillet and sauté, making sure to break it up as it browns, until cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Drain pasta and reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Add broccoli rabe, pasta water, and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese to pan and toss thoroughly. Serve pasta in a large bowl and garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese.