Description

This easy and delicious Italian-inspired orecchiette dish is made complete with a creamy sauce, Italian sausage, and broccolini.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
• ½ cup diced green onion
• 1 bunch broccolini, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ½ cups half-and-half
• 6 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and orecchiette and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard most of the fat. Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl and return skillet to medium-high heat.
3. Add bell pepper and green onion to the skillet. Saute until white of onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add broccolini and garlic; saute until broccolini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes more. Set vegetables aside.
4. Melt butter in a larger skillet over medium heat. Add half-and-half and Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add cream cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes more.
5. Add cooked sausage and vegetables to the skillet. Stir in drained pasta. Serve immediately.