For ➍
600 g broccoli, in florets & the stem in pieces
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 fresh fennel sausages (about 250 g in total), skin removed
chilli flakes, to taste
400 g orecchiette pasta
1 lemon, juice & zest
3 tbs unsalted butter, cubed
50 g Parmigiano, grated + extra for garnish
Cook the broccoli in a large pan with plenty of salted water in 3 m until al dente. Remove the broccoli from the pan with a slotted spoon and let it cool. Save the cooking water for the pasta. Chop the broccoli into small pieces. Set aside.
Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet or skillet over medium heat. Fry the garlic until it starts to change color and smell, about 2 m. Remove the garlic from the pan and fry the sausages in the oil. Break the sausage meat into pieces with a wooden spatula and season with chili flakes. Bake until sausage is cooked through, about 6-8 m.
Bring the broccoli water to the boil again and cook the pasta until almost al dente, about 9 m (set the timer 3 m shorter than indicated on the package).
Remove about 10 cl of cooking liquid from the pasta pan and pour over the sausage. Add the garlic and broccoli. Season with 1 ts of lemon juice and zest. Mash the broccoli with a potato masher.
Remove the pasta from the pan with a slotted spoon and mix with the broccoli. Add a generous splash of cooking liquid and cook the pasta for a few more m until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is cooked through. Now add the butter and stir until it melts. Season to taste with the Parmigiano.
Serve the pasta with more Parmigiano, lemon zest, olive oil and chilli flakes.
