NEW KDHamptons RECIPE: THE PERFECT AUGUST AL FRESCO DINNER MENU

The most beautiful weather in the Hamptons happens in early August. I love to host a small al fresco dinner party under our giant tree at Maple Shade. A savory charcuterie board and a decadent pasta dish is all you need to indulge your guests. For this dinner party we had private chef Elena Apostolides prepare the meal. Read on for all of the delicious details and try Elena’s recipe for her mouthwatering Spicy Sausage with Broccoli Rabe.

Chef Elena sourced all of the ingredients for the dinner with FreshDirect. Just a click away for Hamptonites now, FreshDirect has brought their “Food that Delivers to You” program to the East End. Experience a European culinary adventure this summer as FreshDirect is delivering you to four legendary food destinations: Italy, Spain, France, and Greece. FreshDirect experts go to the source to bring you delicacies crafted using generations-old traditions. If you would like to make this meal at home, here is our list of ingredients that Hamptons private chef Elena Apostolides prepared.

Chef Elena Apostolides’ Sausage + Broccoli Rabe Pasta Recipe:

1 pound Broccoli Rabe
1 pound short pasta – orecchiette is traditional but you can use others
1 pound Italian Sausage (sweet or spicy)
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 T Olive Oil

1 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Grated Parmesan to taste
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 3 minutes. Don’t drain the water. You can reuse it to cook the pasta. Using a kitchen spider or tongs, simply transfer to an ice bath to cool down or place in a colander in a sink with cold water running over it. You want to stop the cooking so it stays slightly crunchy. Return the water to a boil.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. You can either crumble or cut up the sausage in pieces then add to the pan, browning until it’s all fully cooked through for about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant and golden, about 1 minute more.

While the sausage is cooking, drop your pasta in the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually about a minute before the time says on the package). While the pasta is cooking, roughly chop up the broccoli rabe into bite sized pieces about an inch or two in size and add to the pan with the sausage.

Right before the pasta is done, be sure to reserve a cup of the cooking water. Once the pasta is done, drain and add pasta to the skillet with the sausage and stir to combine. Add the reserved cooking liquid a few tablespoons at a time as needed to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 6 pasta bowls; sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Faella Gemelli Pasta: Only dried pasta from Gragnano can be IGP certifed—the mark of true quality. Faella is one of just nine producers with this title.

Pianogrillo Sicilian Cherry Tomato Sauce: A naturally-sweet sauce that’s made in Sicily by farmer Lorenzo Piccione using his own vine-ripened tomatoes.

Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Blended by Italian experts using 100% Italian olives, this organic olive oil is great for everyday use.

In today’s fast paced world, convenience is key, and FreshDirect has been at the forefront of revolutionizing the way we shop for groceries. Since 2002, FreshDirect has been delivering fresh, high-quality food straight to the doorsteps of customers in the greater New York metropolitan area, with seasonal service to Eastern Long Island and the Jersey Shore. FreshDirect has become the go-to choice for food enthusiasts seeking the best in culinary delights and everyday grocery needs. LUX LIFESTYLE magazine & KDHAMPTONS has included FreshDirect as the HOTTEST ONLINE GROCER of 2023 in their annual HOT LIST AWARDS being celebrated in the Hamptons on August 5th!

For more information about FreshDirect’s “Food that delivers to you” program visit here!

Images by: Emmanuela Panepinto

Written by: Emmanuela Panepinto