Orecchiette with Sausage & Rapini 🥦 The Vivaldi Way!

Ingredients

• 12 oz Orzo Pasta (small rice‑shaped pasta)
• 12 oz Italian Fennel Sausage (remove casing, crumble by hand; mild or spicy)
• 8 oz Rapini (Broccoli Rabe) (trim thick stems, chop leaves and buds roughly)
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil (extra‑virgin preferred)
• 1/2 cup Low‑Sodium Chicken Stock (can substitute reserved pasta water or plain water)
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano‑Reggiano (freshly grated)
• 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano (freshly grated)

Instructions

1. Cook the Orzo

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the orzo and cook 9‑12 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: boiling

2. Prep the Rapini

   While the pasta cooks, trim off the thick stems of the rapini, discard them, and roughly chop the leaves and buds into bite‑size pieces.

   Time: PT5M

3. Mince Garlic & Measure Chili

   Peel and mince the garlic cloves; measure out the chili flakes.

   Time: PT2M

4. Heat Oil

   Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: medium

5. Cook the Sausage

   Add the sausage meat (casing removed) to the skillet. Break it up by hand into rustic chunks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 5‑7 minutes.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: medium

6. Add Garlic & Chili

   Add the minced garlic and chili flakes to the sausage, sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

   Time: PT0.5M

   Temperature: medium

7. Wilt the Rapini

   Add the chopped rapini to the skillet, tossing to combine. Cook 2‑3 minutes until the greens are wilted but still bright green.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium

8. Deglaze

   Pour in the chicken stock (or reserved pasta water) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer for about 1 minute.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: medium

9. Combine Pasta

   Drain the orzo, reserving a cup of cooking water. Add the orzo to the skillet, tossing to coat. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until a silky sauce forms.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

10. Finish with Cheese

    Turn off the heat. Stir in the grated Parmigiano‑Reggiano and Pecorino Romano until melted and the dish is glossy.

    Time: PT1M

11. Serve

    Plate the pasta immediately, optionally drizzling a little extra olive oil and a pinch of chili flakes on top.

    Time: PT0M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

20g

Carbohydrates

55g

Fat

15g

Fiber

4g