Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian Sausage (casings removed)

1 Box Pasta (any shape really, probably not spaghetti but hey knock yourself out)

1 Medium Onion - Chopped

3 Cloves Garlic - Sliced

1 24 oz. Can Crushed Tomato

1.5 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 Tbsp. Sundried Tomato Paste

1/2 C. Red Wine

1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1 Container Ricotta Cheese

1/3 C. Parmesan Cheese - Grated

1 Ball Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh Basil (If desired)

Olive Oil

Seasonings (to taste/preference):

Red Pepper Flakes, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Basil, Summer Savory, Oregano, White Sugar, Salt, Pepper

Equipment Needed (or not, you can improvise):

Dutch Oven, Cutting Board (x2), Knife, Spatula, Spoon, Bowls, Baking Dish, Medium/Large Pot, Colander


Directions:

  1. Brown sausage in dutch oven then remove, leaving rendered fat.

  2. Add onion to remaining fat and cook until softened.

    2a. Add tomato paste(s), garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant and paste begins to stick/almost burn on

  3. Add red wine and deglaze (scrape), add crushed tomato, then add selected seasonings and vinegar.

    3a. Return browned sausage to pot and simmer for ~1 hour.

  4. While sauce simmers, preheat oven to 375°F and begin boiling a pot filled with saltwater for pasta.

    4a. When water begins boiling cook your pasta 2 minutes short of recommended time, drain, and set aside.

  5. Mix 1/3 of sauce with pasta.

    5a. Spread half of this mixture in the bottom of your baking dish.

  6. Spread half of your various cheeses to the pasta in the dish, top this with remaining pasta/sauce mixture, then remaining cheese.

  7. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil tightly and bake for ~35 minutes.

    7a. Remove foil from dish and return to oven for another ~10 minutes or until cheese is browning.

  8. Let cool and serve.

Flynn McLaughlin