This orecchiette with sausage and broccolini is an easy and tasty pasta dish that is full of flavour. The slight char that the orecchiette get from those final few minutes in the pan and the zest of lemon take this dish to the next level!
Ingredients for this Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccolini
This simple orecchiette dish makes for a light and delicious lunch or dinner. And best of all, only a handful of ingredients are needed to make this!
Orecchiette
Orecchiette is a pasta type made of semolina flour, rounded with a rough surface. It makes them cling on to any sauce beautifully.
They are a traditional pasta from the south of Italy, in the region of Puglia. One of the most popular dishes made with orecchiette is Orecchiette Con Cime di Rapa, with the traditional version using Broccoli Rabe (also called Rapini) and sometimes a hint of chilli.
Orecchiette in Italian means ‘little ears’ for the rounded shape that orecchiette has.
Sausages
For this recipe I used italian style pork sausages. These generally have spices in the sausage mixture that include pepper, garlic, fennel seeds & chilli.
I find this style of sausages is perfect for this dish as it gives a lot of flavour to the broccolini and orecchiette. Another substitute for this would be also some pancetta or bacon – just reduce the amount by half so it doesn’t overpower the dish.
Broccolini
I used 2 small bunches (which are roughly 250 gr in total), you can also substitute this for Chinese broccoli or broccoli, shredded in smaller pieces.
Other ingredients required:
- Garlic
- Lemon zest: to add at the end of cooking to give the dish a wonderful light citrus aroma to the orecchiette
- Grated Pecorino
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Ground Pepper and Salt
How to make Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccolini
Bring a large pot of water to the boil
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Alongside set up a large fry-pan, which will be used to fry the sausage and broccolini. Add the orecchiette to the salted water to begin cooking.
Fry the sausage, garlic and broccolini
In a large pan add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the sausage pieces over high heat for 1-2 minutes till lightly charred.
Reduce the heat, add the broccolini and garlic, a good pinch of salt and pepper along with a ladle of pasta water and cook for for 7-8 minutes till the broccolini are tender and most of the water absorbed.
Combine
Once the orecchiette are cooked till al dente, reserve a cup of pasta water and strain them. Add them them in the pan with the sausage and broccolini.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the pecorino, lemon zest, a good pinch of pepper and a ladle of pasta water and combine over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and serve immediately with more grated pecorino and pepper to your liking.
Enjoy!
Want more?
Loved this recipe? Check out my other pasta recipes Sausage & Ricotta Pasta Bake and Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with frilly Pappardelle.
Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccolini & Lemon
Ingredients
- 250 gr Orecchiette
- 250 gr Pork Sausages (2-3 sausages, chopped)
- 250 gr Broccolini (2 small bunches, chopped)
- 3 Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 Lemon Zest (Zest of 1 whole lemon)
- 20 gr Pecorino (Grated, and a bit extra to serve)
- 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Alongside set up a large fry-pan, which will be used to fry the sausage and broccolini. Add the orecchiette to the salted water to begin cooking.
- In a large pan add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the sausage pieces over high heat for 1-2 minutes till lightly charred.
- Reduce the heat, add the broccolini and garlic, a good pinch of salt and pepper along with a ladle of pasta water and cook for for 7-8 minutes till the broccolini are tender and most of the water absorbed.
- Once the orecchiette are cooked till al dente, reserve a cup of pasta water and strain them. Add them them in the pan with the sausage and broccolini.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the pecorino, lemon rind, a good pinch of pepper and a ladle of pasta water and combine over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and serve immediately with more grated pecorino and pepper to your liking.
