Rigatoni with Summer Squash, Spicy Sausage & Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb. rigatoni pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Set a large pot of generously salted water over high heat and let it come to a full boil. Add the rigatoni and cook it until it is not quite al dente, about 10 minutes. As the pasta is cooking, warm 1/2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook it, using a spoon or spatula to break it up as it browns, until it is nearly done, 3 to 5 minutes. Scoop the sausage into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Tip off the rendered fat from the skillet, but leave those nice browned bits behind.
2. Pour the remaining 2-1/2 Tbs. oil into the same skillet and set it over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook just until they start to relax, about 1 minute. Turn the heat up to medium high, stir in the squash, and keep it moving often until it is just barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Before draining the pasta, save 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the rigatoni, then put it back into the pot you cooked it in. Add the sausage, the squash mixture, and 2 Tbs. of the saved pasta water. Toss everything together over medium heat until the sausage is fully cooked and the rigatoni lands right at al dente, about 3 minutes. Add more of the reserved water if the pasta needs a little loosening.
4. Take the pot off the heat. Add the goat cheese and parsley, then toss until the cheese softens into a sauce and coats the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste, spoon into warm shallow bowls, and finish each portion with grated Parmigiano, if using.