Mixing pasta with peppers, cheese and tomato sauce in a casserole dish is a sure way to bring some comfort to your dinner table. This recipe is simple to make, with easy to find ingredients, and the result is a delicious meal. You could add some sautéed spinach, a salad, steamed broccoli or just call it a one-pot dinner. Easy on the cook, and a treat for the diners.
Pasta
Penne is a medium sized tube-shaped pasta. As with most pasta dishes, you can substitute any other similar sized pasta. Bow ties would work well, as would large shells. Just don't choose the long strand type spaghetti for this dish as it's not weighty enough to support the meat and vegetables. This is a fork only meal. You don't want any pasta shape that calls for a knife or the aid of a spoon. If you can learn to appreciate the flavors of a whole-wheat pasta, you'll be adding some fiber to your diet that's lacking in the white variety.
Tomato Sauce
There are thousands of delicious bottled sauces on the market now, and taking advantage of them makes this dish a time saver. If you're out of sauce or just prefer to make your own, feel free to stir together some chopped or pureed tomatoes, pressed garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and a splash of red wine.
Peppers
This recipe calls for red and orange peppers, which may not be as readily available as the green variety. If you're able to find them, be prepared to spend a bit more than green peppers. But you get a wider mix of nutritional needs met, as is true with most colorful vegetables, and the flavor is a bit sweeter. The brightly colored peppers are also less likely to cause indigestion.
Cheesy Sausage Penne Recipe
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 orange pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 jar tomato sauce
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta for 8 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, remove sausage casings and slice sausage. Brown both sides over medium high heat. Drain on paper towels.
- Cook peppers and onion in same skillet until just soft, about 5 minutes.
- Return sausage to pepper skillet. Stir in half the tomato sauce. P
- ut drained pasta in large casserole dish. Add sausage and peppers and remaining tomato sauce.
- Stir in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Top with mozzarella. Bake 30 minutes.
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