Broccoli and Sausage Pasta

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• Ingredients:
  • 2 Bunches Broccoli
  • 1 lb Orecchiette (or any noodles really)
  • 1 lb Longhini Sweet Italian Sausage
  • Olive Oil
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Thinly Sliced
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Cup Parmesan

• Directions:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Prick the sausages with a fork and place them on a sheet pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until just cooked through. Slice 1/2 inch thick and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the sausage slices and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pieces are browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, trim the broccoli.
• When the pasta has cooked for 9 minutes, add the broccoli to the pasta and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is crisp-tender.
• Drain in a large colander, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and add the pasta and broccoli to the pot with the sausage mixture and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon of salt. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking liquid.
• Add red pepper flakes (we skip this step for our kids), salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot with extra Parmesan on the side.