Meat as a Condiment, Great Leftovers, Family Meal, Fit for Company, Rewarms Well
No law-abiding American driver could survive the chaos that rules Neapolitan streets. As a tourist, you must take cabs. Besides being brave and courageous drivers, the cabbies are a wealth of culinary information. (Italians spend almost as much time talking about food as they do eating it.) On a drive to the National Museum of San Martino on the hill overlooking Naples, a well-fed cabbie rapturously described the
baked ziti with hot sausage, bitter greens, and provola (a local buffalo cheese) that his family was famous for. Given our language barrier, I was unable to get an exact recipe, but I played around with the ingredients and came up with something I think he would have enjoyed.
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound broccoli rabe
- 1 pound ziti, rigatoni, or penne
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage, homemade (see Cook’s Note, [>]) or store-bought, casings removed
- 2 cups canned chopped or diced tomatoes (I use San Marzano) or Gary’s Heirloom Tomato Sauce ([>])
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (if using canned tomatoes)
- 2 cups shredded provola, provolone, or pecorino cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- COOK BROCCOLI RABE
- Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot and add 1 tablespoon salt and the broccoli rabe.
- Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the broccoli rabe is tender.
- Drain, coarsely chop, and set aside.
- PREHEAT OVEN AND OIL BAKING DISH
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Oil a 13-×-9-inch baking dish.
- COOK PASTA
- In another large pot, bring 4 to 6 quarts water to a boil.
- Add 3 tablespoons salt and the pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until al dente.
- Drain.
- COOK SAUSAGE AND TOMATO SAUCE
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a slotted spoon or fork.
- Add the tomatoes and basil (if using), reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the sauce just thickens.
- Or, if using the premade sauce, add it to the sausages and heat through.
- Stir the broccoli rabe into the sauce and remove the pan from the heat.
- MIX AND BAKE
- In a large bowl, mix together the cooked pasta, sauce, and 1 cup of the cheese.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the pasta mixture into the baking dish, sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake until the cheese is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve.
COOK’S NOTE:
- This dish is perfect for potlucks and feeding large groups. It can be served warm and not piping hot, and it reheats well covered in aluminum foil.
ALTERNATIVE CUTS:
- You can use any Italian sausage of your choice, store-bought or homemade (see [>] for a recipe)
