Italian Sausage Orecchiette
Italian Sausage Orecchiette
Ingredients
- 400 g orecchiette
- 250 g tender-stem broccoli, chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 4 Italian fennel sausage, skin removed, meat broken up
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 20 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 squeeze lemon juice
- as needed salt, for pasta water and seasoning
- as needed pepper
- as needed olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Italian fennel sausages by slicing down the middle of each sausage. Remove the skin and break up the sausage meat into smaller pieces.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Chop the tender-stem broccoli into bite-sized chunks.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the broken-up Italian fennel sausage meat and cook until it is golden and crispy, breaking it up further with a spoon as it cooks.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and chilli flakes to the pan with the cooked sausage. Cook for about 1 minute, allowing the aromatics to infuse the oil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Add the finely chopped red onion to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
While the sausage and aromatics are cooking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook for approximately 1 minute less than the package instructions, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
⏱️ 8 min
- 7
Add the chopped tender-stem broccoli to the pan with the sausage, garlic, chilli, and onion mixture. Season lightly with pepper. Do not over-salt at this stage, as the heavily salted pasta water will be added later.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Once the orecchiette pasta is al dente (cooked for 1 minute less than package directions), use a pasta spoon or spider to transfer it directly from the boiling water into the pan with the sauce mixture. Do not drain the pasta, as the excess starchy water is crucial for creating a cohesive sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Give everything a good mix in the pan. Continue to cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the pasta to finish cooking and the flavors to meld together, creating a rich sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the dish.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Mix everything together thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning with more pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Italian Sausage Orecchiette
- 400 g orecchiette
- 250 g tender-stem broccoli, chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 4 Italian fennel sausage, skin removed, meat broken up
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 20 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 squeeze lemon juice
- as needed salt, for pasta water and seasoning
- as needed pepper
- as needed olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Italian fennel sausages by slicing down the middle of each sausage. Remove the skin and break up the sausage meat into smaller pieces.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Chop the tender-stem broccoli into bite-sized chunks.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the broken-up Italian fennel sausage meat and cook until it is golden and crispy, breaking it up further with a spoon as it cooks.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and chilli flakes to the pan with the cooked sausage. Cook for about 1 minute, allowing the aromatics to infuse the oil.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Add the finely chopped red onion to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
While the sausage and aromatics are cooking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook for approximately 1 minute less than the package instructions, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
⏱️ 8 min - 7
Add the chopped tender-stem broccoli to the pan with the sausage, garlic, chilli, and onion mixture. Season lightly with pepper. Do not over-salt at this stage, as the heavily salted pasta water will be added later.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Once the orecchiette pasta is al dente (cooked for 1 minute less than package directions), use a pasta spoon or spider to transfer it directly from the boiling water into the pan with the sauce mixture. Do not drain the pasta, as the excess starchy water is crucial for creating a cohesive sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Give everything a good mix in the pan. Continue to cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the pasta to finish cooking and the flavors to meld together, creating a rich sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the dish.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Mix everything together thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning with more pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min