Brrr, it’s been cold … and all I crave is comfort food. Which is why I decided to tackle another of Alison Roman’s flavor-packed recipes: baked pasta with cheddar and broccoli rabe. Bring on the carbs and cheese, please!
You don’t need a lot of time or ingredients to prepare this rich, vegetable-forward dish. As Alison explains, “Loads of wilted leeks and greens get tossed with heavy cream, grated cheese and very al dente pasta.”
After 30 minutes or so in the oven, the baked pasta with cheddar and broccoli rabe will be done. And boy is it a thing of beauty!
A Special Delivery
Want to treat yourself or your loved ones to something nice – beyond baked pasta with cheddar and broccoli rabe – this holiday season? Here are my top gift picks at the moment:
- beardedgoat apparel – I recently ordered the Overnight Hoodie and Getaway Pant and have been wearing them ever since.
- Cult-favorite food products, like Graza’s “Drizzle” and “Sizzle” extra virgin olive oil and Fly By Jing’s Sichuan chili crisp
- Staub’s 5-quart Tall Cocotte – I purchased one last March and it’s become a go-to piece of cookware.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
- 12 ounces rigatoni or rigatoncini
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and rinsed
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 1 pound broccoli rabe, stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped
- ¾ cup chopped fresh chives, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
- 8 ounces aged cheddar cheese, grated
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs (see notes)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving ¾ cup cooking liquid, and transfer to a large bowl.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In the same pot used to cook the pasta, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add chili flakes and stir to combine.
- Add broccoli rabe, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cooked pasta, ½ cup chives, marjoram, three-quarters of the cheddar cheese, heavy cream and reserved cooking liquid; stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a greased 9" square baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the pasta.
- Top with remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Top with remaining chives.
