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1
Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a pot and add 1 tablespoon salt.
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2
Add broccoli rabe and cook about 5 minutes, until tender.
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3
Drain and place in a large bowl of ice water.
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4
Drain and squeeze dry.
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5
Turn on a food processor and drop garlic in through the feed tube.
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6
Stop machine, scrape down sides and add broccoli rabe.
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7
Pulse until finely chopped.
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8
Stop machine.
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9
Add 6 tablespoons oil.
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10
Pulse until pesto comes together but is not creamy or thoroughly emulsified.
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11
Transfer to a bowl and fold in 1/4 cup cheese.
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12
Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan on low.
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13
Add fennel and onion, and cook until soft but not brown.
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14
Add sausage and cook, mashing it to a fine crumble, until it is no longer pink.
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15
Add chicken stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated and just glazes the sausage.
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16
Transfer sausage mixture to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
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17
Return sausage to the pan.
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18
Fold in broccoli rabe pesto.
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19
Set aside.
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20
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.
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21
Add orecchiette and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
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22
Reheat sausage mixture and add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
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23
Drain pasta and add to pan with the sausage mixture.
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24
Toss ingredients together until pasta is evenly coated.
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25
Fold in remaining 1/2 cup cheese, check seasoning and serve.
