Ali’s lemony, sausagy, broccoli pasta

Lemon, feta and salt make everything taste good.

Faff Factor: 1.5/5 * Flavour 4/5 * Fridge to Face: 20 mins

Recipe adapted from Allison Drake’s awesome family recipe.

(Serves 4 with leftovers)
Ingredients:
2 cups of dry pasta of choice, any variety / shape works
1 decent sized sausage per person (Use meat or veggie)
2 handfuls finely chopped parsley (curly or flat leaf)
2 med. heads of broccoli
1 lemon, juice and rind
olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Optional:
Goat feta (or regular)
Big handful of mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula etc)
Big handful of sprouts

Method:
1. Put pasta in a big pot, cover with plenty of water and a sprinkle of salt, boil and cook as per packet instructions (typically 8-12 minutes)
2. While pasta is cooking, cut sausages into bits and fry in a pan with a little oil. If using meat sausages, squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins in little chunks to cook, and discard the skins. Fry until cooked, and slightly browned.
3. Cut broccoli into florets and steam or boil in water. Be sure not to overcook, err on the side of crunchy.
4. Drain the broccoli, and stir around the pan with the sausages, to get all the sausagy goodness on the broccoli.
5. Drain pasta and put into a big bowl. Grate in about 1 tsp of lemon rind, and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 the lemon. Add a slug of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and a grind of pepper. Add the sausage pieces, broccoli and parsley. Use your hands or servers to turn everything over a few times, and coat everything with everything else.
6. Add more lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

MODIFY:
– Add a big handful of mixed greens, baby spinach / arugula / shredded cabbage
– Add a big handful of fresh lentil / alfalfa / mung bean sprouts
– Sprinkle over with crumbled feta or shaved parmesan
– Sub in a big blob of pesto instead of lemon, parsley & oil

Faff notes: This one is awesome for a last minute ‘I-have-no-idea-what-to-make-for-dinner-but-I-can-NOT-justify-another-takeout-night’ dinner. Usually a tiny grocery list (Broccoli, sausages, a lemon), and ready super fast. Does use a few dishes (pasta pot, sausage pan, mixing bowl), but I’m ok with washing an extra dish if it means avoiding the ‘I-got-dinner-on-the-table-too-late-and-we’re-all-loosing-our-sh1t’ explosion.

Flavour notes: This recipe is a family favourite in our house, as is, but it’s easy to dish up for kids before adding lemon, or subbing in a big blob of pesto if they prefer. Makes great leftovers.