Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli

(Originally posted on November 16th, 2006)

This recipe is one of many outstanding recipes taken from the magazine Fine Cooking. (By the way, anyone who enjoys cooking tasty food needs to subscribe to this magazine. If you don't believe me, just flip through one issue. You'll be hooked.)

Ingredients

• 10 oz. broccoli crowns, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into thin strips
• 1 Tb chopped fresh thyme
• 3/4 lb. dried orecchiette
• 1 Tb fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tb grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Blanch the broccoli in the boiling water until it softens (1-2 minutes) and then transfer broccoli to the bowl of cold water.
2. Heat 2 Tb of the oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add sausage until it browns (about 6 minutes). Remove.
3. Put the pasta in the water.
4. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium low and add remaining 2 Tb oil and garlic. Flip pieces until they start to brown (3-4 minutes).
5. Raise heat to high and add the drained broccoli. Cook until everything is heated (1 minute). Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and thyme.
6. Finish cooking pasta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Raise heat to high and toss well for 30 seconds. Add some pasta water if it appears dry.
7. Stir in lemon juice, Parmigiano, and scallions. Add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.

Eat lots. Serves 2-4.