Ingredients
Salt
1 large bundle broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
Pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
1 large bulb garlic
2 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
1 small sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1 pound whole wheat or whole grain rigatoni
1 Fresno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup fresh ricotta
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
In a pot of salted boiling water, blanch the broccoli rabe for a few minutes to curb the bitterness. Drain and coat lightly with a drizzle of EVOO, season with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet.
Cut the end off the garlic bulb to expose all of the cloves, drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Top the garlic with the chopped herbs and wrap tightly in foil. Roast for 45 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe to the oven when the garlic is halfway through cooking. Roast everything until the garlic and herbs are soft and the tops of the rabe are crisp and brown.
When the garlic is cool enough to handle, bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add salt and cook the pasta to al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.
Heat about 1/4 cup EVOO in a skillet with the chili pepper. Squeeze the garlic cloves into the skillet and whisk them into the EVOO. Add the rabe and toss to combine.
Toss the pasta with the ricotta, nutmeg, to taste, rabe and just enough starchy water to combine. This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, go to www.yum-o.org.