Parmesan)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it well with salt.
Place the ¼ cup olive oil and the garlic in a large sauté pan and
cook on medium heat until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the
sausage, breaking it up with a spoon until you have bite-size
pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage begins to
caramelize.
Add the ziti to the pot of water, give it a stir, and half-cover it
to allow it to come back to a rapid boil, then remove the lid (or it
may boil over).
Add the broccoli rabe to the pan with the sausage and garlic and
stir it with a pinch of salt and as much of the red pepper flakes as
you like.
Now the secret ingredient: the pasta cooking water. Add a few
ladlefuls (about 2 cups) to the pan with the garlic, sausage, and
broccoli rabe. You want it to look relatively soupy. Cover that pan
with a lid and lower the heat; allow it to cook together for a few
minutes.
As the ziti reaches the end of its cooking time (look at the box
to know that), taste a noodle in time to stop the cooking process
while the ziti is still al dente. If it’s still toothsome but mostly
cooked, use a spider and transfer the pasta to the pan with the
garlic, sausage, and broccoli rabe.
Stir and turn up the heat until most of the liquid has been
absorbed by the pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and, off the heat, add