Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, Toasted Garlic, and Bread Crumbs

Here is a simple pasta recipe that I have been making for a couple years, using broccoli rabe, some stale bread, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Have you ever watched The Minimalist with Mark Bittman?  I love this New York Times series.  It is sweet and to the point, and this is where the recipe came from.

Here are the ingredients for Mark Bittman's Spaghetti with Broccoli Rabe, serves 4 to 6:
-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
-3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and slivered
-A chunk of stale piece of bread to make about 1 cup of bread crumbs, chop into small pieces
-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
-About 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed, washed, and roughly chopped
-1 pound of spaghetti, linguine, or other long pasta
-Freshly ground black pepper
-Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

-Salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add broccoli rabe and cook uncovered until tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well.  Set aside.  Add pasta to the water, and cook until done.

Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  When oil is warm, cook garlic until it is toasted to golden brown.  Be careful not to burn.  Remove garlic with slotted spoon, and then add bread crumbs and red pepper flakes.  Cook until golden, about 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

When pasta is done, drain it, reserving a little cooking water.  Toss pasta in skillet with broccoli rabe mixture, moistening with a little reserved water if necessary.  Adjust seasonings and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Click here to watch Mark's video for the recipe.

Check out the first ice cream I ever made (last year) - Chocolate!  Click here.