1 pkg. (16 oz.) orecchiette pasta (Note 1)

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, separated

1 pkg. (19 oz.) ) Italian sausage, sweet or spicy, removed from casings (Note 2)

Fine sea salt & pepper

2 teaspoons each: minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried parsley flakes

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup chicken broth

4 cups broccoli florets

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping (Note 3)

Optional: lemon, fresh flat-leaf parsley

SAUSAGE: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large heavy bottom skillet (big enough to hold all the cooked pasta later). Heat to medium-high heat and add in the sausage (casings removed) plus salt & pepper to taste (I add 1/2 tsp of each). Cook and crumble with a wooden spoon until browned, but not cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and add 2 tsp each: garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried parsley. Add 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Stir through until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.

PASTA: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water (I add 2 tsp salt) and then cook the pasta according to package instructions for the minimum time indicated. Use a glass mug to remove a big scoop of pasta water (set aside for now) and then drain the pasta and set aside. Don’t rinse pasta under cool water.

BROCCOLI: To the sausage skillet, add the remaining 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup chicken broth, and 4 cups broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add in 3 tbsp butter and stir until melted. Simmer sauce until slightly reduced and thickened.

TOSS TOGETHER: Pour drained pasta on top of the sausage and broccoli mixture; toss well. Gradually add in the cheese (2 tbsp at a time so it doesn’t clump) as you toss, until the pasta is nicely emulsified (Note 4). Add reserved pasta water if needed (to thin sauce). If desired, add a squeeze of lemon. Taste and adjust seasonings to personal preference.

SERVE: Divide among bowls, adding fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy promptly!

STORAGE: As with most pasta dishes, this recipe is best enjoyed the minute everything is tossed together. When reheating, you’ll likely need to add a splash of more chicken broth to thin the sauce again. This dish doesn’t freeze/thaw particularly well.

Notes

Note 1: Pasta: If you can’t find this particular shape, use medium shells, fusilli, farfalle, or penne.

Note 2: Italian sausage: The better the sausage, the better this dish tastes! Make sure to remove the casings before cooking. Depending on personal preference, use mild or spicy sausage — either work and both are delicious. For more heat (and flavor) use spicy sausage. If you’re sensitive to spice, use a mild or sweet sausage instead. If some of your guests want more spice and others don’t, serve red pepper flakes on the side!

Note 3: Parmesan cheese: Use a block of Parmesan and grate it into the small holes of a grater. Alternatively, use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won’t melt into the sauce nicely.

Note 4: Emulsify: Emulsifying means combining all the ingredients so they are suspended in the mixture. If a mixture settles and separates, that’s the opposite of an emulsion. Toss until you get the sauce clinging to the pasta instead of falling to the bottom of the pan (and splash in the reserved pasta water if needed to smooth/thin the sauce ensuring it coats every bit of the dish.).