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Emeril's Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage

Wholesome broccoli pairs with irresistible sausage in this one-pot dinner that will please kids and adults alike. Anchovies are the secret ingredient in this dish. They give it deep, savory flavor without a bit of fishiness, so if you're tempted to skip them, don't!
Everyday Food, March 2012
  • Prep Time 25 minutes
  • Total Time 50 minutes
  • Yield Serves 6
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Ingredients

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 pound rigatoni
  • 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 anchovy fillets, minced
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • Parmesan, grated, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. In last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp-tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and broccoli.

  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, anchovies, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

  3. Add sausage to pot and cook over medium-high, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, return pasta and broccoli to pot, and add oil mixture. Toss well to combine, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

Cook's Note

Emeril says, "If you're in the market for a simple, comforting pasta dish, look no further: This Italian-inspired combination is easy enough that kids can lend a hand. Let older helpers cut off the broccoli florets while little ones have fun whisking together the sauce. Feel free to use turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter meal."

Recipe Reviews

  • Lynneyg
    20 Feb, 2013

    So good! Will make again... super fast and easy!! Used the anchovy fillets and they were not fishy at all.

  • Meisha Gospo
    27 Jan, 2013

    Very very nice recipe!!! loved it!

  • Marthaisgenius
    20 Oct, 2012

    I don't know.. It was definitely tasty. Though I am still not fully onboard with the group that says anchovies are not fishy. There are other flavor components to anchovies not just the fish note, but it's there! Let me also say that I agree that anchovies are indispensable in things like Caesar dressing.. but this dish was on the verge of having too much anchovy for me and that's cause I halved the called for amount.

  • threepeas
    11 Jul, 2012

    Very tasty, even for the slightly (unfairly) anchovy averse like myself, but for our small family of three I would probably halve the recipe but keep the broccoli and sausage portions the same if I made it again. As is, it seemed to come out a bit too noodle-heavy.