Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli

1: Add 4 quarts of water to a large pot, bring to a boil and season with salt (use 2 Tbsp).

2: Add broccoli to boiling water and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

3: Remove broccoli and transfer to a colander, run under cold water to stop cooking, chop into smaller pieces.

4: Add orecchiette pasta to the same water and boil about 1 minute shy of al dente, reserving 1.5 cups of pasta water.

5: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble in sausage and cook until done, about 7 minutes, adding garlic during the last 2 minutes.

6: Pour in 1 cup of reserved pasta water into the skillet with sausage and let it simmer for about a minute.

7: Add cooked pasta, toss and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.

8: Drizzle in remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil, season with red pepper flakes, and toss.

9: Add parmesan and toss to melt into sauce, then add broccoli.

10: Season with salt and pepper, loosen with more pasta water if needed, and serve with additional olive oil and parmesan if desired.