- rosanna
If you're searching for some ultimate comfort food to cook during isolation, look no further! This Italian sausage and broccolini with rigatoni is a very simple pasta recipe, and makes a change from a tomato based sauce. Cosy and delicious and perfect for colder nights in.

Simple pasta recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
250 grams pasta such as rigatoni, orecchiette, or penne
2 sausages
5 stems broccolini chopped into 2 inch pieces
1 tsp chilli flakes
Salt for the pasta water
1 minced garlic clove
Olive oil for frying and finishing.
Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese


Put a pot of salted boiling water on the hob and add the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions but take one minute off the cooking time.
Meanwhile, add 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet/large frying pan over medium high heat until the oil is shimmering slightly. Add the sausage by squeezing the meat out of their cases and breaking up into 1 inch pieces.
Once browned and cooked through, remove the sausage from the with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess fat.
Add the broccolini to the pan and sauté until tender and lightly browned.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds and then remove from the heat. Return the sausage to the pan.

Drain the pasta, reserving 100 ml of the pasta water for finishing the sauce. Add the pasta to broccoli/sausage mixture and return to medium heat. Add half of the pasta water and top with cheese, tossing to form an emulsion of the fat and water and cheese.
Serve in warmed bowls, topping with more cheese and black pepper along with a light salad.

Enjoy!