Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesFennel sausage and broccoli pasta
Posted: 27/07/2024Updated: 06/08/2024
Fragrant Italian sausage meat coupled with broccoli, coated in a glossy parmesan sauce.
If you want just that little something to make this meal even better, pair with a side of garlic bread... use any leftover parmesan and put it under the grill for that extra level of flavour.
Ingredients
Servings
- 10 Italian sausages (with fennel)
- 200 grams Tenderstem broccoli
- 40 grams Parmesan
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 large Red onion
- 1 handful Fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons Chilli flakes
- 300 grams Pasta
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
Instructions
- Firstly remove the sausage meat from its casing. Use your fingers to pinch off little pieces of the sausage. This will make it easier to break down whilst cooking. Heat a pan on medium-high with some olive oil.
- Cook until nicely browned and set aside - this should take about 6-7 minutes.
- Whilst the sausage is cooking, cut your broccoli into equally sized pieces about 4cm long, dice the red onion and mince the garlic.
- Start cooking your pasta now so that the pasta water can be used to build the parmesan sauce later. Add diced red onion to the same pan used to cook the sausage with a drizzle more olive oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat until the onion has become fragrant. Add the garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for another minute before introducing the broccoli. Fry for 3-4 minutes - this should be enough time to allow the broccoli to have that soft crunch.
- Re-introduce the sausage meat back to the pan with any of its released liquids. Season with salt and black pepper. The pasta should be cooked to al dente now. Add the pasta to the pan along with about 5 tablespoons of the pasta water, grated parmesan and chopped parsley. The starchy pasta water and parmesan should form a glossy sauce. Turn the heat to low and mix well. Cook for a final 2-4 minutes or until you are satisfied with the sauce's consistency.
- Serve immediately and grate a little more parmesan and freshly ground black pepper on top.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Al dente pasta: Cooking the pasta just before al dente is very important as it will continue to cook when mixed with everything else. You don't want mushy pasta.
- Just enough water: Cooking the pasta in too much water will dilute the starchy liquid we need however too little water will evaporate before the pasta can cook to al dente.
- Remove sausage casing: Removing the casing is important to allow the sausage to be broken down into smaller pieces that can brown and develop amazing flavour.
- Cooking time: Once everything has been combined in the pan, don't allow it to cook for too long as this can create a very sticky texture which isn't preferable. Turn the heat off if necessary to finish cooking.
Alternative ingredients
- I went for a classic Italian sausage with the notable flavouring of fennel. However, you can use whatever sausage you like - I like a sweet or spicy Italian sausage as a tasty alternative. More commonly found sausages such as Lincolnshire or Cumberland can also be used. To replicate the original recipe flavour base, add a couple teaspoons of fennel seeds whilst frying the sausage.
- You can also replace the parmesan with pecorino if you prefer a softer, creamier but sharper sauce than the nuttier and sweeter flavours of the parmesan.
- My personal preference is to use tenderstem broccoli over regular broccoli due to its milder and sweeter taste as well as smaller florets.
Storage instructions
- Refrigeration: Store leftover portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the pasta for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Ensure the pasta has cooled completely before freezing to minimise the formation of ice crystals.
Re-heating instructions
If re-heating from frozen, ensure it has fully defrosted whether that is overnight in the fridge out in the microwave on the defrost setting. My preference is to re-heat on the stove as re-heating in the microwave can cause the oils to separate.
- Stove: Re-heat sausage and broccoli pasta on the stove over medium heat. Add a little water to prevent the ingredients from drying out.
- Microwave: For a quick re-heat, transfer a portion to a microwave-safe dish and heat on medium power. Repeat until heated through.
Nutrition and dietary facts
(Per serving) Calories: 678kcal (30%), Protein: 34.2g (57%), Fat: 35.8g (45%), Saturated fat: 12.2g (81%), Carbohydrates: 63.6g (23%), Sugars: 4.8g (19%), Fibre: 5.1g (17%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.