Spicy Broccoli Rabe & Mozzarella Pasta Bake
Spicy Broccoli Rabe & Mozzarella Pasta Bake. Cheesy, saucy, spicy pasta bake for a cold Wednesday night. It’s a super cozy dish for a cold November night…and bonus?! It’s super easy for serving to guests around the holidays. And since it’s decadent and rich, everyone always loves it !!
When it’s the holiday season, you need a good pasta bake. Because for one thing, they are always sooo delicious. But they’re also perfect for serving lots of people. They’re hearty, they’re easy, and they're filling. So when it’s the holidays and you have a lot of people around, a big pasta bake is perfect to feed everyone.
This one is super good, and it’s perfectly decadent for the holiday season. It’s loaded with mozzarella cheese, chives, cream, red pepper flakes, and lots of broccoli rabe. Then it’s topped with a delicious Panko breadcrumb mixture that gives it the perfect amount of crunch on the outside, but it’s still super cheesy and saucy on the inside.
I know, I know, you guys are probably making fun of me for turning every single dish this week into a holiday dinner. But it’s the first week of November and I can’t help myself. Plus we’re decorating this weekend and the Christmas music has already started playing and I am just in that holiday mood.
We are also halfway through the week which you know I am excited about. I am starting to plan my meals for the big fall fest beach weekend, and so far I am loving the menu. You guys have to stay tuned this weekend, and there might even be some holiday recipes in there of course ;))) !!
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil; divided
1 large leek; thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves; chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 bunches broccoli rabe; cleaned and trimmed
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces fresh mozzarella
8 ounces grated dry mozzarella
1/2 cup chopped chives
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 pound rigatoni
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a large pot, heat 6 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the leeks and garlic. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until softened. Add the broccoli rabe. Stir to combine and cover. Let the broccoli rabe cook for 5 - 7 minutes stirring occasionally until wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook the pasta. Drain, saving 1 cup of cooking water. Add the pasta to the pot with the broccoli rabe. Add 3/4 of both cheeses, 1/4 cup of chives, heavy cream, and reserved cooking water. Mix well to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper. Transfer to a large cast iron skillet.
Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese over the pasta. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until pasta is bubbling. Serve topped with remaining chives.
