MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Cheesy Baked Pasta With Sausage & Ricotta
 Categories: Pasta, Pork, Cheese, Herbs, Vegetables
      Yield: 4 Servings

      3 tb Extra-virgin olive oil
    3/4 lb Hot or mild Italian sausage
      4 cl Garlic; thin sliced
      1 ts Dried oregano
    1/2 ts Fennel seeds; coarse
           - crushed
      1 pn Red-pepper flakes; more for
           - serving
     28 oz Can whole peeled tomatoes;
           - undrained
     14 oz Can crushed or strained
           - tomatoes
      2    Bay leaves
           Salt
     12 oz Dried pasta shapes
      8 oz Fresh mozzarella; in
           - bite-size pieces
      6 oz Whole-milk ricotta
    1/3 c  Parmesan; grated
    1/4 c  Basil leaves
           Black pepper; to serve

  Set oven @ 425°F/218°C.

  Heat oil in a 12" ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble
  sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces.
  Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to
  7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, and red-pepper
  flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

  Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them
  up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and 2 ts salt, and bring to a
  simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

  Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to
  simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta
  doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out
  the bay leaves, and fold in about 1/3rd of the mozzarella.

  Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta.
  Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is
  tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly
  golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you'd like a more deeply browned
  topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove
  from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil,
  plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

  Recipe by Melissa Clark

  Recipe FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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