½ pound short, chunky pasta
½ pound broccoli rabe, heavy stems removed, remaining stems and leaves cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
¼ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending on your heat preference)
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. About 4-5 minutes before the cooking time is up, stir in the broccoli rabe. Drain the pasta and rabe.
In the now empty pot (or a smaller one if you don’t mind getting another dirty), combine the oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt over medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the garlic is light golden, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the pasta and rabe to the pot, tossing to coat with the oil. Add more salt and/or red pepper flakes to taste. Serve with a generous sprinkling of cheese.