Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

1. Take a large pot and fill it up with lightly salted water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. At the point when water is boiling, mix in the penne, and bring it to boil again.
2. Boil the pasta without covering and whisk occasionally, until the pasta is fully cooked, but to the extent that it is still firm to the bite, roughly about 11 minutes.
3. Drain the water in a strainer set in the sink ascertaining you reserve 1/2 cup of the water.
4. Simultaneously, take a large skillet and heat over medium to high heat. Let cook and stir the sausage pieces, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the pan until you notice that the sausage is no longer pink on the exterior, about 4 minutes.
5. Now blend in the broccoli rabe and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Include the reserved 1/2 cup of pasta boiling water as well.
6. Cover up and cook until the sausage is not pink in the center and the broccoli rabe is soft. It will take 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Stir together the cooked pasta, broccoli rabe, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese until uniformly mixed.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Trivia

You’d barely be able to have a reservation at the Rao’s Italian restaurant in Harlem which is famous for its penne with sausage and broccoli rabe. It is a little restaurant that was started in 1896 by an Italian immigrant named Charles Rao. All these years and it is still one of the hottest restaurants in town and this only signifies how fulfilling and scrumptious the dish must be.