Pasta With Broccoli & Italian Sausage

ladynightmare Chef #707361's Note:

This recipe is quick, easy & simply delicious. Be careful, you may eat more than you should.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 head broccoli (approximately 3/4 lb.)
• 2 1/2 links sweet Italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 lb dried short pasta such as fusilli, penne, ziti
• salt & pepper
• 2 ounces pecorino romano cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Clean broccoli & separate florets from the stems. Remove the tough peel from the stems & cut into cubes. Place in steamer & steam to desired tenderness. Reserve the broccoli water.
3. Remove the casings from the sausage. Heat the olive oil to medium high and brown the sausage flattening & chopping until all is browned.
4. Add garlic, fennel seed & red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is pale brown. Remove from the heat.
5. Add steamed broccoli & 1/2 cup of the broccoli water to the sausage.
6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
7. Scoop out the pasta & add to the sausage & broccoli along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
8. Reheat the sausage, broccoli & pasta & stir until the water mostly boils away & forms a nice sauce. 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
9. If too dry add more water from pasta &/or broccoli.
10. Grate 1/2 ounce of pecorino romano cheese over pasta reserving the remaing cheese for tableside.
11. Salt & pepper to taste.
12. Can be reheated in microwave. Just sprinkle with a little water before heating.

Reviews

[DinnerBelle]

This is truly a quick and easy meal with very good results. IMO a full pound of pasta would make the dish very pasta heavy; I cooked a 13 oz. box of w.wheat penne and didn't use it all. I also used cooked sausage (turkey kielbasa), sliced. I'm not sure kielbasa and fennel are a great combo, maybe if I'd used the sweet italian sausage called for I'd be giving 5 stars. I'll definitely make this again.