Tastes Like the Jersey Shore

It's cold, rainy and all I want to do tonight is finish unpacking my apartment (almost there!!), drink red wine and make dinner.  I adore making dinner.  After a very frantic day at work there is something really calming about chopping, slicing and stirring - it makes me feel centered.  Eventhough I've been doing really well at de-carbing my diet, I need some pasta tonight. 

Smitten Kitchen posted the most delicious pasta and broccoli rabe recipe last week and I'm totally trying it tonight.  I fell in love with broccoli rabe the summer before college when I hung out in Cape May with my aunt.  It was actually an amazing summer - I got really tan, had no job, and went parasailing for the first time.  Broccoli rabe (and cute Italian boys with East Coast accents) don't exist in Colorado so trust that I was in heaven. 

So without further adieu...a quick and easy rainy-day dinner.

Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

Ingredients

1 lb. pasta, whichever shape you like but chunky pastas work best with the broccoli rabe

1 lb. broccoli rabe with the heavy stems removed and cut into 1-inch sections

1/2 cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves

1/2 lb teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 tsp kosher salt

Grated parmesan cheese (to taste)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and five minutes before it's cooking time is up, add the broccoli rabe as well.  It will seem like too much with the water, but after a few minutes it will wilt and cook alongside the pasta.

Drain broccoli rabe with the pasta and pour into a serving bowl.  In a smaller pan, heat the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and kosher salt over moderate heat, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes or until the garlic becomes slightly golden. 

Pour mixture over pasta and toss evenly to coat.  Shower with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!