Sausage And Broccoli Rabe Sandwich
Ingredients
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- 2 quarts water – for blanching
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pounds broccoli rabe – trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pounds Italian sausage links – pricked with a fork (~5.5 medium italian sausages)
- 4 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoons black pepper – freshly ground
- 4 ounces provolone cheese – thinly sliced
- 4 rolls Italian hoagie rolls – split
Instructions
1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the kosher salt. Add the broccoli rabe and blanch until bright green and just tender, 2–3 minutes. Reserve 0.5 cup of the blanching water, drain well, and squeeze out excess moisture.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the Italian sausage links (pricked) and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8–10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until cooked through (165°F internal), 5–7 minutes more. Transfer to a board to rest 5 minutes, then slice on a bias into 0.5-inch pieces.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining extra-virgin olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook just until fragrant and lightly sizzling, 30–60 seconds.
4. Add the blanched broccoli rabe and the reserved 0.5 cup blanching water. Cook, tossing, until the greens are tender and most liquid has reduced, 2–3 minutes. Season with the black pepper.
5. Return the sliced sausage to the skillet and toss with the greens until heated through and glossy with pan juices, 2–3 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.
6. Arrange the Italian hoagie rolls on a baking sheet and divide the provolone cheese among the bottoms. Warm under a broiler or in a 375°F oven until the cheese just melts and the rolls are lightly toasted, 1–3 minutes.
7. Spoon the sausage and broccoli rabe mixture into the rolls, adding a little pan juice to each. Close and serve hot.
This sandwich marries peppery, pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe with juicy Italian sausage and melty provolone on a crusty Italian roll. The greens are garlicky and slicked with good olive oil, the sausage brings a savory, fennel-spiked richness, and a pinch of chile adds warmth. A splash of the greens’ cooking liquid keeps the filling glossy, so every bite is juicy without being saucy.
Rooted in Italian immigrant cooking, the pairing echoes southern Italian traditions of pork with bitter greens like cime di rapa. Italian-American delis and sandwich shops in the Northeast, especially in and around Philadelphia and New Jersey, helped popularize the combination. Today it sits alongside roast pork-and-rabe and cheesesteaks as a regional staple, prized for its bold flavors and satisfying simplicity.