Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 lb (16 oz.) orecchiette (or any pasta)
- 4 chicken sausage links (I used spicy Italian), sliced into 1/4" thick coins
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pesto
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Method
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together brussels sprouts,
2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined.
Prepare
a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the brussels sprouts on
it evenly. Roast for about 20-30 minutes, stirring once partway
through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the
inside. (My batch of tiny sprouts only took about 12 minutes to cook.)
Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile,
heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add
the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until nearly-browned, about
6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2
minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned.
Cook
the pasta according to the package directions. (I begin heating my
water while preparing the brussel sprouts, and added the pasta to the
boiling water just after beginning to cook the sausage.) Once the pasta
is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then
toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and brussels
sprouts. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra
moisture.
Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.
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