Ahhh, Italian comfort food….and this is one of those dishes for me. After returning from an amazing week in Montalcino, I found myself in need of some comfort food as I tried to get back into the rhythm of work. I first had this dish in Italy on a chilly afternoon in Sicilia and have been making it ever since. The bite of the rape alongside the sweetness of the sausage and creaminess of the potatoes soothes the very soul. And it is a snap to prepare …even easier while sipping a warming glass of Rosso di Montalcino or Chianti Classico….pure heaven.
Sweet Sausage, Broccoli Rabe and Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 pound sweet sausage
2 heads of broccoli rabe, ends trimmed
4 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into eights
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine, plus additional (see note below; optional)
Good quality grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot peper flakes, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and blanch for approximately 3 mins. Drain and cool.
2. In same pot, add potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and cool.
3. In a frying pan large enough to hold all ingredients, saute the sausage over medium high heat until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan. When cool, cut sausage into slices. Reserve all juices to add back into pan.
4. In the same pan over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic and saute until slightly golden – be careful not to burn.
5. Add the sliced sausage back into the pan and saute to warm. Add in 1/2 cup white wine to deglaze. Saute until wine evaporates.
6. Cut the blanced broccoli rabe stalks in half and add to pan along with the potatoes. Toss to combine. Simmer until heated through. Note: I sometimes add in additional wine or chicken broth at this stage depending on how dry/moist the mixture is.
7. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper and hot pepper flakes (if using) to taste.
8. Remove to serving dish and dust with parmesan cheese…..walaa! Enjoy!