A filling pasta dish featuring savory sausage, melted cheese, and rich tomato sauce, perfect for family dinners.
# Components:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb penne or fusilli pasta
→ Sausage
02 - 1.1 lb pork sausages, casings removed
→ Vegetables & Sauce
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
08 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Cheese
11 - 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
12 - ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
→ Garnish
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; crumble in sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
04 - Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in minced garlic and cook 1 more minute.
05 - Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs, chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper to the skillet; simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
06 - In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta with the sausage sauce, then stir in half of both mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
07 - Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish and evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheeses on top.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling.
09 - Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving; garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
