Sausage and Broccolini Orecchiette
Sausage and Broccolini Orecchiette
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 12 ounces orecchiette
- 4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed, warmed
For the Sauce
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 anchovy fillets, packed in oil, finely minced
- 1/2 cup dry Italian white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Ensure a golden-brown fond forms at the bottom of the pan. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat and fond in the pan. Set the cooked sausage aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the olive oil to the pan (if needed, add a little more to make 2 tablespoons of fat total). Add the broccolini and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp and slightly charred. Remove the broccolini from the pan and set aside with the sausage.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Add the minced shallots to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan. Add the minced garlic and anchovy fillets. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the anchovies have dissolved into a paste and the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Pour in the white wine, scraping vigorously to deglaze the pan and release all the flavorful brown bits (fond). Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Add the orecchiette to the pan. Pour in 3 cups of the warmed chicken stock, along with the red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta, adding the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock (and more if needed, 1/2 cup at a time) as the liquid is absorbed, until the pasta is al dente and chewy, about 10-12 minutes. The starch from the pasta will help create a creamy sauce.
⏱️ 12 min
- 6
Once the pasta is cooked and a silky, creamy sauce has formed, return the cooked sausage and broccolini to the pan. Stir well to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and fully incorporated, creating an emulsified sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sausage and Broccolini Orecchiette
For the Pasta
- 12 ounces orecchiette
- 4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed, warmed
For the Sauce
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 anchovy fillets, packed in oil, finely minced
- 1/2 cup dry Italian white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Ensure a golden-brown fond forms at the bottom of the pan. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat and fond in the pan. Set the cooked sausage aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the olive oil to the pan (if needed, add a little more to make 2 tablespoons of fat total). Add the broccolini and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp and slightly charred. Remove the broccolini from the pan and set aside with the sausage.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Add the minced shallots to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan. Add the minced garlic and anchovy fillets. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the anchovies have dissolved into a paste and the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Pour in the white wine, scraping vigorously to deglaze the pan and release all the flavorful brown bits (fond). Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Add the orecchiette to the pan. Pour in 3 cups of the warmed chicken stock, along with the red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta, adding the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock (and more if needed, 1/2 cup at a time) as the liquid is absorbed, until the pasta is al dente and chewy, about 10-12 minutes. The starch from the pasta will help create a creamy sauce.
⏱️ 12 min - 6
Once the pasta is cooked and a silky, creamy sauce has formed, return the cooked sausage and broccolini to the pan. Stir well to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and fully incorporated, creating an emulsified sauce.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 3 min