Broccoli and Sausage Pasta

Broccoli and sausage pasta is a flavorful dish that is simple to prepare. Here is the recipe for four people:

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (for example orecchiette or rigatoni)
• 400 g of broccoli
• 200 g of fresh sausage (preferably pork)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chili pepper (to taste)
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste (optional)
• grated Parmesan (to taste)
• A glass of white wine (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the broccoli: remove the harder parts and cut the florets into small pieces. Rinse the florets under running water and set them aside.
2. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the broccoli for about 5-6 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Drain them, reserving some of the cooking water.
3. In a large skillet, sauté the chopped garlic (or whole if you prefer to remove it later) with the extra virgin olive oil and chili pepper.
4. Remove the casing from the sausage, crumble it, and add it to the skillet with the garlic and oil. Cook until the sausage is nicely browned. If desired, deglaze with a glass of white wine until evaporated.
5. Add the cooked broccoli to the skillet and mix well with the sausage, allowing the flavors to meld. If necessary, add a little of the broccoli cooking water to make the sauce smoother.
6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the water in which you boiled the broccoli, so it will absorb more flavor.
7. Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it to the skillet with the broccoli and sausage. Toss everything together over medium heat, adjusting salt and pepper if needed.
8. Plate and, if desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan before serving.

Trivia

This recipe is an excellent fusion of simple and authentic countryside flavors: broccoli and sausage are two ingredients often found in rustic Italian cuisine. In some regional variations, pasta with broccoli and sausage can be enriched with desalted anchovies or cheese cream, for an extra creamy touch.