Pasta With Chicken Sausage and Broccoli

This recipe is from the Cooking Thin show on Food TV. I changed it a little bit. You could use any kind of sausage. Even my kids like this recipe! And it is low-fat! I use chicken and artichoke sausage.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb broccoli (or broccoli rabe)
• 1  lb penne pasta
• 2  tablespoons water
• 4 -5  garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 lb  chicken sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
•  salt
• 1  cup  seasoned bread crumbs, toasted (optional)
•  pecorino romano cheese (optional) or  parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Cut broccoli into 3 inch pieces, discarding stems.
2. Blanch broccoli in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of broccoli water.
4. Drain and rinse broccoli with cold water. Drain on towel.
5. Cook pasta according to package directions.
6. While pasta is cooking, place 2 tablespoons of water into cold skillet with garlic and sausage and then turn to medium low heat.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden and sausage is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
8. Pour reserved broccoli water into pan with sausage.
9. When pasta is cooked, drain it and place it back in the pot and season with salt.
10. Pour sausage over pasta and stir in broccoli.
11. Taste and adjust seasonings.
12. Garnish with bread crumbs and/or cheese.