Broccoli Rabe Pasta Bake {A Nello's Sauce Recipe}

 Our last couple of Produce Box deliveries have contained one of our very favorite spring vegetables, broccoli rabe (also called rapini).  This is very exciting for us as it means we get to make broccoli rabe pasta!  My husband really wants me to make the Philly style porks sandwiches, but this recipe is so good and we crave it's unique taste so much, that we've made it three times this spring.  My old recipe is made so much quicker and easier (and tastier!) using Nello's Sauce.  This is easy enough for a weekday dinner but impressive enough to serve for guests.  Also a great meal to serve a crowd, just make a few pans!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb pasta (penne, cavatappi, fusilli, farfalle or shells are all good choices)

1 jar Nello's Sauce 

1 bunch Broccoli Rabe, chopped into 2-3 inch segments

1 lb italian ground sausage 

4 oz mozzarella cheese ball

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add salt and pasta.  Cook until 2 minutes before pasta is al dente and add the broccoli rabe.  Enjoy the beautiful green color and wonderful smell of the blanched broccoli rabe! Drain in colander and add to a large 9x12 baking dish.

Meanwhile cook the sausage in a large saute pan until no longer pink, crumbling it with a wooden spoon.  Add to the broccoli rabe/pasta mixture in the baking pan.  Add the jar of Nello's Sauce and stir well.  Top with thin slices of the mozzarella ball.

Bake until mozzarella is bubbling and starting to turn golden around the edges.  Enjoy!

*In breaking news, Nello's Sauce will be available in an additional 106 Whole Foods Markets by June!  Find a retailer near you HERE!

**I was not paid for this post, but I was given Nello's Sauce.  All opinons expressed are my own.