Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (710 ml) broccoli, cut into florets, stems removed
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, divided
- Salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) crushed red pepper
- 8 ounces (227 grams) spicy or mild sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
- 10 ounces (283 grams) rigatoni
- ½ cup (120 ml) Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish
Method:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until very tender, about 10 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove broccoli to a large bowl or another pot, reserving cooking water in the pot.
To the broccoli, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil and blitz with an immersion blender, adding some cooking water as you go, until sauce is smooth and bright green. Season the broccoli puree with salt and set aside.
In a large pan with high sides set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper and sizzle 1 minute, until aromatic.
Add the crumbled sausage and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, about 6-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the remaining broccoli water back up to a boil, then add rigatoni and cook until al dente, 6-7 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup (120 ml) of cooking water.
In the pan with the sausage, add the pasta, broccoli puree, pecorino, and the reserved cooking water, toss to combine, and heat through, stirring, until a sauce has formed.
Serve immediately sprinkled with a generous amount of pecorino.
Buon Appetito!