Braised Broccoli and Sausage Pesto Pasta

Bring a pot of water with a few pinches of salt to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid to make it boil sooner. Once boiling, add pasta and cook for about 12 minutes. To check if the pasta is done, simply pierce a piece of pasta with a fork, run it under cool water to cool it down, and taste it. If it’s still a little hard or chewy, cook pasta a few more minutes till it softens. Once done, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by wetting your fingers and splashing a little water on to the pan. It should sizzle slightly. If it doesn't sizzle it needs more time to heat up. If it sizzles like mad, remove pan from heat and let it cool a little (This is a good trick to remember whenever heating a pan). Once heated appropriately, add onions and broccoli. Let cook for a few minutes. Stir occasionally. Then add sausage, garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue to stir occasionally and cook till the veggies just start to brown (this should take a few more minutes).

Then add the broth or water and quickly place a lid on top but don't cover completely. I like to use a lid that is smaller than the pan for this and just lay it over the veggies. Continue to stir occasionally and cook till veggies are lightly browned and soft.

Add drained pasta, pesto, fontina, and lemon zest to the pan and stir well. Distribute the pasta amongst two bowls, serve, and enjoy!