Spicy Sausage Broccoli Rabe Parmesan

Ingredients

• ounce swhole wheat rotini pasta
• bunch es broccoli rabe, trimmed
• (4 ounce) linkshot Italian sausage, cut into 1 inch piece s
• tablespoon sausage drippings
• garlic clove s, chopped
• (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• teaspoon olive oil, or to taste

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the rotini, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 6 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
2. While the pasta is cooking, place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe, recover, and steam until just tender, about 2 minutes depending on thickness.
3. At the same time, place the Italian sausage into a large skillet over medium heat, and cook until browned and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage from pan and set aside; drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon of sausage drippings in the pan. Sprinkle in the garlic, and cook until it starts to brown, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in 1/2 of the broccoli rabe. Cook and stir until the rabe has wilted, then add remaining rabe and diced tomatoes. Cook until rabe is tender, about 5 minutes; sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
5. Return sausage to the skillet, and cook just until the meat is hot; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve over hot rotini.