Pasta with Italian Sausage and BroccoliRecipe by Chef Heidi Fink

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water (about 3 to 4 litres) and add the 1 Tb salt. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, start the sauce. In a separate large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 10 seconds. Add the sausage meat, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for several minutes, until the sausage is no longer pink.
3. Add the broccoli florets, the ½ tsp salt, and the ½ cup of water. Stir well and cover to let the broccoli steam for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, along with their juice and cook sauce uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is done cooking.
5. Part way through cooking the sauce, the pasta water should be boiling. Add the pasta shapes, stirring well. Return to a boil, stirring constantly. Let pasta boil, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Do not rinse.
6. The sauce and pasta should be done around the same time.
7. Add the cooked pasta, and ½ cup of the pasta-cooking water, to the pan with the sauce. Stir well and simmer together for one minute, adding a bit more pasta water if needed to keep the bottom from sticking.
8. Taste to see if the dish needs more salt and adjust if necessary. Stir in chopped parsley.
9. Garnish each portion with cheese, or, for a fancier presentation, cover the whole pan of pasta with the grated cheese and place under the broiler in your oven for a couple of minutes to melt and brown the cheese.