Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and White Beans

We used to have dinner with our neighbors in Washington at least once a week. Our taste in food was nearly identical and we loved to cook, eat, and drink together. One the best gifts our upstairs friends gave me was a love of the combination of broccoli rabe (rappini) and white beans. I soon adopted the standard sauteed rabe and white beans as a side with chicken, fish, or pork. As I learned more about the green vegetable, I realized that the result of my work was sometimes uneven because of the common bitterness in the greens. Sometimes it's not a problem, but in order to know for sure if your rabe will be bitter, taste a floret. If it's pleasant and sweet, cook it together with the beans and oil directly. If it's bitter or unpleasant at all, blanche the greens for the final 2 minutes of the pasta's cooking time in the water and you'll find the bitterness is left with the water and the pasta is unaffected. I like to add cubed poached chicken breast to the beans and rabe as an extra boost of protein and texture, but this could easily be a vegetarian / vegan dish, as well. If made with a different shape pasta such as rotini or penne, this could easily be a casserole.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, Chicken, and White Beans
Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

• 1 lb thin spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente
• 2 cans white beans (Great Northern, Cannellini), drained and rinsed
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached in stock and white wine, cooled and cubed
• simmer equal parts chicken stock and white wine in a sauce pan and cook chicken gently until firm through, about 12 minutes
• 2 bunches broccoli rabe, stems trimmed off and coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 2 tbsp butter (optional, for richness)
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat, to taste)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Poach the chicken, cube, and set aside. Boil the pasta according to package instructions, minus about 1 minute. Taste the pasta to make sure it's done. If your broccoli rabe is bitter, blanche it with the pasta for the last couple of minutes of cooking. I use a large pot with a pasta insert so it's easy enough to lift everything from the pot together. If you don't have such a contraption, by all means, simply drain in colander.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions until fragrant and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute. Add the drained white beans and toss together until the beans are heated through. Add the chicken and toss again. Season carefully and add the broccoli rabe and pasta. Toss until everything is combined. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil or a dash of butter to taste, if desired.