Rigatoni with Sausage & Broccolini in Pecorino Pan Sauce

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A Gulf Coast Italian dining-room favorite rebuilt for a weeknight skillet: hot Italian sausage broken into craggy, deeply browned nuggets, broccolini wilted straight into the rendered fat with garlic and chili, then everything emulsified with starchy pasta water and a shower of Pecorino Romano. No cream — the sauce gets its gloss and cling from cheese, fat and starch, so it tastes lighter and sharper than the restaurant version while still coating every rigatoni ridge.

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni (bronze-die if you can find it)
• 1 bunch broccolini (about 12 oz), thick stems halved lengthwise, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 3 tbsp kosher salt, for the pasta water
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes (use 1 1/4 tsp for a truly spicy version)

• 1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta cooking water (approximate)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
• 1 1/2 cups Pecorino Romano, finely grated on a rasp grater

• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• flaky sea salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt. While it heats, pull the sausage from its casings into a bowl and let it sit at room temperature — cold sausage steams instead of browning.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch stainless or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage in 6 to 8 large lumps, press each flat with a spatula, and then do not touch it for 4 to 5 minutes. You want a dark mahogany crust on the underside.
3. Flip the pieces, cook 3 more minutes, then break them into rough 3/4-inch craggy nuggets with a wooden spoon. Cook 2 minutes more, until the sausage reads 160°F and the pan bottom is covered in browned fond. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving all the rendered fat behind.
4. Drop the rigatoni into the boiling water and set a timer for 2 minutes less than the package's al dente time (usually 9 to 10 minutes total).
5. Meanwhile, lower the skillet to medium. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage fat and stir constantly for 45 seconds, just until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant — do not let it brown.
6. Add the broccolini and 1/3 cup of the boiling pasta water. Cover and steam 3 minutes, then uncover and cook 2 minutes more, stirring, until the stems are crisp-tender and lightly blistered in spots.
7. Pour in the white wine, scrape up every bit of fond with a wooden spoon, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the wine has reduced by about half. Return the sausage and any juices to the pan.
8. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain the rigatoni. Add the pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup of the reserved water and the cold butter. Raise the heat to medium-high and toss or stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes; the liquid will thicken and start clinging to the pasta.
9. Pull the skillet off the heat and wait 30 seconds so it stops sizzling (Pecorino seizes and turns grainy in a screaming-hot pan). Add the Pecorino in three additions, tossing hard after each, splashing in more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until the sauce is glossy and loose enough to slide — it will tighten as it sits.
10. Finish with the lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste and add flaky salt only if needed; the Pecorino and sausage carry most of the seasoning. Serve immediately in warmed bowls with extra grated Pecorino.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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