"Little Ears" Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds of broccoli rabe, cut into 1 unch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed).
1 pound dried orecchiette or cavatelli ( both pastas......I use cavatelli and buy it frozen made with ricotta cheese)
1/3 cup of olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 anchovy fillets
1/8 teaspoon crushed red peper ---optional
Directions
In 4-qt. Dutch Oven, bring 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to boiling: add broccoli rabe. Return to boiling and reduce heat. Cover and cook 5 minutes; drain.
Meanwhile, in another Dutch oven or large pan, cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling wateraccording ot the package directions. Drain, reserving1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the pasta.
In the first Dutch oven, combine olive oil and garlic; heat over medium heat. Add anchovies and crushed red pepper; cook and stir until garlic begins to brown. Add broccoli rabe and cook for 2 minutes. Immediately stir in the pasta and enough of the reserved pasta liquid to moisten; cook and stir for 1 minute. Makes 6 servings.
I have made this with Italian sausage and omitted the anchovies.