Baked Orecchiette is not one of the meals my Sicilian mother made on a regular basis. I can vaguely recall having it once or twice during my childhood. However, there used to be an Italian restaurant in town, and John, the proprietor made a very nice Baked Orecchiette which served as the foundation for this recipe. Yes. That pun was intended. It was one of only a few Italian restaurants we would dine at since, you know, I am “selective” when it comes to the quality of food I enjoy, especially
Italian food.
John has since retired and the venue he created has changed hands. They no longer offer Baked Orecchiette, and I cannot recall the last time we stopped in for a meal. The lack of having a nice Baked Orecchiette within a stone’s throw, has inspired me to come up with my own using the flavor profile I can recall from John’s as a starting point.
By the way, Johnny also made the best sautéed broccoli rabe side dish. He managed to tone down its bitterness and created it with just the right ratios of garlic and lemon. While I don’t use lemon in this recipe, I’ve taken steps to soften the impact of the broccoli rabe and obtain a delicate transition into the grape tomatoes that are also incorporated to add complexity to the flavor profile. This is accomplished by removing as much of the broccoli rabe stem as possible and leaving only the thin portions with the leaves and florets. Lina, our Chesapeake Bay Retriever gets to enjoy the stems. Hey. She eats mulch. Why would this surprise anyone?
My version of this traditional Baked Orecchiette recipe incorporates my homemade venison Italian sausage, the recipe for which is in “Changing The Game.” You can also use store-bought if you haven’t made up a batch of mine. I also call for a small portion of tomato paste which you may not typically see in this rendition of Baked Orecchiette. This is to prepare one’s palate to receive the halved grape tomatoes that are part of this dish and may be a bit on the tart side compared to the rest of the ingredients. The Ricotta cheese is used in place of cream to provide a delicate substance and to up the protein content. I realize some folks are not fans of Ricotta. But, you may want to give it a try, as it will blend somewhat seamlessly when served.
Baked Orecchiette with Venison Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and coarsely chopped or sliced
- 1 12-ounce box of orecchiette
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe florets and leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon iodized sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (FGBP)
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 2/3 cup pasta water
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese use up to 1 cup if desired
- Grated Romano cheese on the side
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. In an oven-safe pan, sauté the sausage over medium-high heat until browned. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
- Separate the thicker portion of stems from the broccoli rabe leaves and florets. Discard the stems or save them for another recipe. Steam the broccoli rabe leaves and florets to soften, about three minutes. Drain and set aside. Start the pasta in a separate pot and cook until al dente.
- Add the olive oil and garlic to the remaining drippings in the pan and sauté the broccoli rabe for about 2 minutes over medium-low heat, adding the salt and pepper at this time.
- Return the sausage to the pan with the broccoli rabe and add the tomato paste and chopped shallot. Cook on medium-low heat while mixing for another 2 minutes. Then, add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Reserve two-thirds of a cup of the pasta water and strain the orecchiette. Add the orecchiette and pasta water with the tomatoes to the pan and mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and stir or transfer to a serving bowl. Then, deposit the Ricotta cheese in the middle.
- Serve with the grated cheese and more FGBP on the side.
