Sausages and broccoli rabe, a Neapolitan staple for when pasta is not an option.
The never-ending pandemic is making us eat a lot of carbs... well at least it's making ME eat a lot of carbs. I do love them and there's nothing more satisfying than pasta. However, once in a while we need a "secondo piatto" as we call it in Italy, an entrée, as we call it here...
This is a dish we make a lot in Napoli. Broccoli rabe are called friarielli (losely translated "they can be pan fried"). They have a markedly bitter aftertaste that makes them oh so interesting and so good... They are often made with sausages. Most of the time sausages in Napoli are mild, not spicy. Of course you can substitute with hot ones, if for some mysterious reason, you like your lips to burn. One can eat "salsicce e friarielli" just as a main dish, or in a sandwich or on a pizza (yes, carbs... we just can't help it). This dish is easy to make and very satisfying!
Let's cook!!
Ingredients for 2 people
4 mild (or hot) Italian sausages. (Of course you can use any kind of sausage, but should you?)
One bunch of broccoli rabe, with leaves and all.
2 garlic cloves, pealed and lightly crushed.
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Half a cup of white wine.
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Preparation:
Cut the endings of the broccoli stems, wash the broccoli and place them in a large pot, without draining them. Add one tbs of oil. Turn the heat to medium, cover and cook for at least 20 minutes. Make sure the broccoli don't burn. Occasionally add water, so they keep cooking without frying. Add a pinch of salt.
While the broccoli cook, slice the garlic in large slices and place it with 2 tbs of oil in a large pan. Start the heat on medium and after 1 minute, add the sausages. Brown the sausages on two sides for at least 3 minutes each side. Then add the wine. (Warning: it's going to splatter all over, always wear an apron... and a face shield, they are very fashionable these days...)
Below you can see how the evaporating wine is creating a nice sauce in the pan. That's what you want to obtain. Cover and cook the sausages for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, check to see if the broccoli are tender (the stems can be a bit tough, so take your time), and if they are, add them to the sausages. Toss everything well, cover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure the sausages are thoroughly cooked. If the contents of the pan start to get too dry, you can add a little water. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in a plate or in a sandwich.
(Yes, I added cheese... )
Wine: the white you used to cook the sausages. I used a Muscadet. But anything goes. For your cooking never use wine that you would not drink with your meal.
Buon appetito and don't forget to wear a mask... though not while you eat.
Comments