Gluttons Club

This here is the first recipe for the blog that this is. Since I'll be making this for dinner and my brain is still in the woods, this is the best I can come up with for a post today.

Way back when I was working in NYC for one summer during college, I was offered a chance to house sit at Miss Jessie's in the murray hill section of Manhattan while she was on vacation. She has a very nice kitchen in a very nice apartment so I did a bit of cooking while I was there. One night, I went to a small Italian deli down the street and got some orecchiette, pecorino and a soppressata to go with some broccoli I had. I was thinking of a pasta I had in Florence but put my own spin on it. It's incredibly simple but surprisingly good. Or at least I think so. It takes about as long to prepare as it does to boil the water and cook the pasta. Have a try:
Ingredients:
-One pound of orecchiette. Shells or penne could substitute but orecchiette really works the best.
-One soppressata, ideally from a good italian salumeria. Bone dry and ugly looking ones are the best. If you use a hot one, adjust the seasoning accordingly.
-Two good sized heads of broccoli.
-dried pepperoncini chopped up or red pepper flakes.
-White wine to cook with and drink. I'd recommend a dry, unoaked pinot grigio or riesling.
-Good grating cheese, either pecorino romano or parm.

Instructions:
-Boil up salted water for the pasta. Prep the other ingredients but don't cook them until the pasta is in the pot.
-You'll need about three quarters a pound of soppressata, more if you plan on eating some while you cook. Peel the casing and slice into rounds about the thickness of a dollar coin. Then half or quarter the rounds depending on the diameter.
-in a pan large enough for all the pasta, with just a bit of oil, fry up the sopp until it darkens and some of the fat is rendered. Remove to a paper towel covered bowl. Find the crispiest piece and eat it.
-slice the florets off the broccoli. You want the florets real small so they'll coat the pasta. Cut up and use the thinner stalks; save the rest for soup or something.
-add the broccoli to the pan and cook, adding oil if needed. Sprinkle with pepperoncini or red pepper flakes.
-At this point, the pasta should be al dente or close to it. It will finish cooking in the pan so don't let it overcook. When ready, drain well and keep ready.
-Once the broccoli is dark, add the sausage and a half cup or so of wine. Heat on med-high for a minute before adding the pasta and a handful of grated cheese. Heat for a minute, tossing constantly. Add more wine if needed.
-cover with grated cheese and eat.

This makes enough for four people. Would be a nice primo before a heartier secondo course or on its own for light meal.