Bittman Basics

This Is the Sauce I Make Most Often

Here’s my version of pasta with broccoli and sausage

Photos: Romulo Yanes

I do make this sauce most often — along with its variations, which you’ll find below the recipe. A few notes on prepping this dish:

Trimming the broccoli: After cutting off the dried-out end and pulling off any leaves, peel the stalk’s tough skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.

Cutting the broccoli stalks: Now cut the stalk into roughly equivalent-sized pieces so they’ll cook evenly.

Cutting the broccoli florets: Break or cut the head into bite-sized florets.

Finishing the sauce: As you mash the broccoli until it breaks down into a sauce, stir in some of the boiling water from the stockpot to keep the pan from drying out.

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound broccoli
• 1/4 cup olive oil or more as needed