Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

Steps

1. 1Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Once boiling liberally salt the water and then add the pasta—Cook the pasta to al dente (according to the package instructions). During the last two minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets before draining, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and broccoli, and then set aside.
2. 2Return the pot to the stove and bring the heat to medium-high. Next, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the Italian sausage and break it up as it begins to cook. When the sausage is no longer pink, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the sausage is browned.
3. 3Reduce the heat to low, and then add the pasta and broccoli back to the pot.
4. 4Next, add 1 1/2 cups of pasta water, grated cheese, and fresh lemon zest to the pot and stir until everything is well combined. The pasta water will help to create a thin sauce that coats the pasta. If you need to, feel free to add the additional half cup of pasta water to create more sauce.
5. 5Serve the pasta with additional grated cheese, red pepper flakes, and fresh lemon zest on top.