Pasta With Broccoli & Italian Sausage

Ingredients

• 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. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. 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. 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. 4

   Add garlic, fennel seed & red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is pale brown. Remove from the heat.

5. 5

   Add steamed broccoli & 1/2 cup of the broccoli water to the sausage.

6. 6

   Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.

7. 7

   Scoop out the pasta & add to the sausage & broccoli along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

8. 8

   Reheat the sausage, broccoli & pasta & stir until the water mostly boils away & forms a nice sauce. 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

9. 9

   If too dry add more water from pasta &/or broccoli.

10. 10

    Grate 1/2 ounce of pecorino romano cheese over pasta reserving the remaing cheese for tableside.

11. 11

    Salt & pepper to taste.

12. 12

    Can be reheated in microwave. Just sprinkle with a little water before heating.