Rigatoni with sausage and grilled rapini

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + extra for serving
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 - 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch broccoli rapini, ends trimmed (about 450 g)
• 4 uncooked sweet and/or spicy Italian sausages (about 400g total)
• 280 g mezzi-rigatoni pasta (about 4 cups)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
2. Toss the rabe with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a generous pinch of salt; place on the grill rack. Transfer to the grill along with the sausages. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through and marked with grill marks, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
3. Add the pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, finely chop the rapini. Halve the sausages lengthwise and slice crosswise into 1 cm thick pieces. Cover and keep warm.
4. Discard 0.5 cups of the pasta cooking water, drain the rest, and add the pasta to a bowl with garlic oil. Add the rapini, sausage, and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water; stir well to evenly distribute all the ingredients. If the pasta is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season with salt to taste. Divide among plates and sprinkle with oregano and Parmesan.