Sausage and broccoli baked pasta

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PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Francesca Meucci

Baked pasta in Italy is one of the most loved meals, usually prepared for festive occasions, especially for Sunday lunch: bolognese sauce, meatballs, boiled eggs, ham, cheese, mushrooms… there is no ingredient that baked pasta does not make tastier! The sausage and broccoli baked pasta, for example, combines the delicate flavor of broccoli with the more strong flavor of sausage and Parmesan cheese, creating a mix so delicious that it is appreciated even by those who usually do not like this vegetable. The crunchy surface of this baked pasta and its soft and creamy interior will appeal to everyone!

INGREDIENTS
Broccoli 28 oz (800 g)
Mezze Maniche Rigate pasta 11 oz (320 g)
Sausage 9 oz (260 g)
Garlic 1 clove
White wine ½ glass
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 3 tbsp (50 g) - grated
Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (25 g)
Salt to taste
Butter 4 tsp
Preparation

How to prepare Sausage and broccoli baked pasta

To prepare sausage and broccoli baked pasta, start by cleaning the broccoli: remove the end of the stem and cut the florets. Rinse them under running water. If they are very large, cut them in half, then boil them for 8-10 minutes in plenty of boiling water to which you have added a tablespoon of salt. When cooked, the broccoli should be tender. Drain them and keep them aside.

Cut the sausages into pieces. In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add the peeled garlic clove and let it brown slightly. Then add the sausages and brown them well for about 5 minutes, stirring often and breaking them up with the tip of a spoon. When it is golden, raise the heat and pour in the white wine. Let it evaporate for about a minute, then lower the heat to medium intensity and add the boiled broccoli. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, lightly crushing the broccoli and mixing it with the sausage, until it forms a sort of sauce. Turn off the heat and remove the garlic clove.

Then cook the pasta: bring plenty of water to the boil in a large pot, then add a tablespoon of salt (you can use the same pot and water in which you boiled the broccoli). When it starts boiling again, add the pasta and let it cook for about 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package: in fact, the pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Drain it and transfer it to the pan with the broccoli and sausage, mixing well with the heat off. Also add two tablespoons of grated Parmesan and mix again.

Transfer the broccoli and sausage pasta to a baking dish large enough to hold it all. Garnish it on the surface with small pieces of butter and sprinkle it with another spoonful of grated Parmesan.

Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C) and bake the sausage and broccoli pasta for about 30 minutes, until the surface is lightly browned. Then take it out of the oven and serve it immediately.

How to store

If you have any leftovers, you can keep the sausage and broccoli baked pasta in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can then heat it briefly in the oven or microwave.

Baked pasta can also be prepared in advance and frozen: in this case, after seasoning the pasta with broccoli and sausage, transfer it to a tray suitable for storage in the freezer, cover it with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. When you want to consume it, you can put it in the oven while still frozen, extending the cooking time by about 15 minutes.

Tips

You can prepare the sausage and broccoli baked pasta with the type of pasta you prefer: ziti, penne, trofie, orecchiette, rigatoni…

If you prefer a stronger flavour, you can chop the garlic clove finely and mix it with the sauce.

In addition to the Parmesan you can also use a little mozzarella or diced provola.