This orecchiette pasta dish is light and full of flavour. It can be made with or without the vegetarian sausages as I think the flavour is really trapped in the pasta shape. Yum!
Ingredients:
1 box Barilla orecchiette
3 Sausages of your choice (mine were vegetarian)
1 head of broccoli florets
1 small onion – finely chopped
2 cloves garlic – crushed
100 grams baby spinach
8 button mushrooms – chopped into thick chunks
2 tablespoons green pesto paste
The zest of one large lemon
The juice of the lemon
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Method:
Cook your sausages so they are cooked through and have a crispy outer. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, chop into 2cm pieces.
Start cooking your pasta as per the box instructions. Once cooked al dente, set aside.
In a deep skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and cook the garlic and onions until fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and cook until tender. Add in the spinach and allow to wilt before you add in the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper, chilli flakes, half the parsley, half the lemon juice and zest.
Add in the pasta, sausages, pesto, the remaining lemon juice and zest, butter, parsley and the grated cheese whilst still on the heat. Mix through well. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve immediately and sprinkle with some extra Parmesan… why not?
Kali Orexi!