Spicy Sausage & Broccoli Rigatoni with Ricotta

1. Garlic Infusion

Submerge the thinly sliced garlic in a bowl with enough olive oil to cover. Set aside.

2. Sausage Shaping

Form the sausage meat into 4 equal-sized balls and then flatten them to form patties.

3. Pasta Boiling

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni until just under al dente, following the package directions.

4. Pattie Browning

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage patties, seasoning with salt and pepper, and brown for about 4 minutes on one side.

5. Broccoli and Garlic Saute

Add the broccoli stems and the garlic with its oil to the skillet. Flip the sausage patties, and cook until the sausage is nearly done, breaking it into chunks as it cooks.

6. Flavor Enhancement

Stir in the chile flakes and cook for a brief 30 seconds. Then, add 1/4 cup of the pasta's cooking water to the skillet to halt the cooking. Remove from heat.

7. Broccoli Floret Cooking

A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water. Cook until tender.

8. Combining

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta and broccoli. Transfer the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet with the sausage.

9. Creamy Emulsion

Over medium heat, blend in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, whipped ricotta, and half of the Parmigiano. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the sauce coats the pasta beautifully.

10. Serving

Dish out the pasta and sprinkle each serving with additional Parmigiano and breadcrumbs if desired.