My Favorite Pasta Dinner Lately-Recipe Included!

At work yesterday, I began craving this meal so badly! It is hard to plan entire meals to cook because I get out of work at 7 and by the time I make it home the last thing I want to do is cook a full on meal, but sometimes, like in this instance, it is a must! This dish is so savory and my boyfriend actually eats the broccoli which must mean its delicious as he is not one for greens! lol The first time I made this dish was a few months back when I saw it in my FOOD magazine, I was in love!  (By the way, if you are a foodie like me, I HIGHLY suggest subscribing to that mini magazine, it has AMAZING recipes every month and they cater to the season!) Anyway, back to my craving haha I stopped by the supermarket after work and picked up the ingredients and I definitely wasn't disappointed with the turnout!

Here is how I made it happen:

Rigatoni with Sausage and Broccoli: 

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound rigatoni
• Salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads broccoli
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pound Italian sausage MEAT (You can purchase just the sausage meat without the casings, that's what I always do!) --I used Mild, you can use hot if you'd like, next time I will probably try that!
• Parmesan, grated, for serving

 Lets get to it:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. In last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp-tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and broccoli.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
   
3. Add sausage to pot and cook over medium-high, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, return pasta and broccoli to pot, and add oil mixture. Toss well to combine, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.
   
   *This recipe originally had Anchovies incorporated in the sauce, which I hear really brings out the flavors of the dish without actually tasting like fish, BUT I just cannot bring myself to put them in here lol If you would like that version then add 4 minced anchovy fillets into your olive oil mixture!
   
   
   This dish is an amazing next day dish as well! The flavors almost marinate all together overnight and it is almost more delicious :)
   
   
   
   
   

buon appetito!, 

xox