March is the season for sprouting broccoli so try it in this creamy pasta dish with sausages.
Ingredients
- 400g purple sprouting broccoli
- Knob of unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 8 good-quality sausages
- 1½ tsp chilli flakes
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 400g penne or other small pasta
- 100ml double cream
Method
- 1. Blanch the broccoli in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold running water and set aside.
- 2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and gently fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a few more minutes. Split the skins of the sausages, roughly break up the meat and add to the pan (discard the skins). Add the chilli and lemon zest, season well and fry over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes until the sausages have lots of crispy bits.
- 3. Meanwhile, cook the penne in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the water. Return the pasta to the pan, along with a little oil and the cooking water.
- 4. Add the cream and broccoli to the sausages and warm through for 3-4 minutes. Serve the sauce on the pasta, with grated Parmesan to sprinkle over, if you like.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 886kcals, 48.2g fat (19.2g saturated), 32.2g protein, 87.5g carbs, 7.5g sugar, 2.3g salt
Wine Recommendation
A juicy, tangy red such as Valpolicella works a treat.