Baked Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and five minutes before its cooking time is up, add the broccoli rabe.

Stir the rabe to wilt and cook alongside the pasta. Drain the broccoli rabe and pasta together and place in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about five minutes.

Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat behind.

Melt the butter in the same saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir it into the butter until smooth. Cook the mixture together for a minute, stirring constantly.

Pour in a small drizzle of milk, whisking constantly into the butter-flour mixture until smooth. Continue to drizzle a small amount at a time, whisking constantly.

Once you've added a little over half of the milk, start adding the milk in larger splashes, being sure to keep mixing.

Add the salt, garlic, nutmeg, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a lower simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Add the sausage and bechamel to the bowl with the pasta and broccoli rabe. Stir in mozzarella and half of the grated parmesan or pecorino until combined.

Pour into a lasagna pan, deep 9×13-inch baking dish, or 3-quart casserole dish and coat with remaining parmesan or pecorino.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, until the edges and craggy points are nicely bronzed.

Eat warm. Reheat as needed.