Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe
 
 
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 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)
Instructions
  1. 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.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
Notes
To make fresh bread crumbs, place a few bread chunks in a food processor and pulse to the desired crumb size. You can use almost any kind of bread; I usually have random pieces of bread in the freezer that I defrost, toast and cool before pulsing.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/baked-pasta-with-cheddar-and-broccoli-rabe/