Baked Rigatoni With Italian Sausage And Fennel Food

RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil and add the heavy cream, half-and-half and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE & FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

RIGATONI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet, cook sausage over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps until it is cooked through; transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain oil.
• Add olive oil to skillet;
• Add sliced onions and garlic; cook over moderate-low heat, stirring, until onion is softened.
• Add the bell peppers and sliced fennel; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the bell pepper and fennel are softened.
• Add the wine and broth; bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Add cream and boil the mixture until it is thickened slightly and reduced by about one third.
• Cook pasta until al dente; drain.
• Mix fennel, sausage mixture into pasta.
• Serve immediately with grated Parmesan.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the topping: Add the ricotta, basil, and salt to a small bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula. Set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season well with salt and cook the rigatoni for 5 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat a large braiser or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sausage to the pan. Cook, stirring often and breaking apart the meat with the back of a spoon, until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook to marry the flavors, about 3 minutes. Stir in the marinara and 1/4 teaspoon salt until fully combined. Add the pasta to the pan and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Toss well to coat. Add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce slightly.
• Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the top. Nestle the ricotta mixture into the pasta and cover with some of the pasta. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

RIGATONI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• First put your pot of water to boil while you make your sauce so your noodles and sauce will be done about the same time.
• In a large saute pan, add the sausage and break it up using a wooden spoon spatula, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sausage is browned do not drain add the garlic and onions cook it, stirring, for about 1 minute or until it is golden brown. Take care not to let the garlic burn. Add your seasonings.
• Add the tomatoes, raise the heat to high, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer it briskly for 5 to 8 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Stir in 1/4 cup of the grated cheese and cook the sauce for about 3 minutes or until it thickens. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
• Drain the pasta well. Bring the sauce to a boil. Add the pasta and mix well. Stir in 1/4 cup of grated cheese, if desired. Serve the pasta with the remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese passed on the side.

BAKED ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND RIGATONI

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat 1Tbsp oil over Medium-High heat. Add sausage and cook till no longer pink.
• With slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker and drain liquid from pan. Reduce heat to Medium.
• Pour remaining oil to pan, add onion and celery and cook vegetables until soft stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and cook 1 minute stirring constantly.
• Add tomato soup, chicken broth and worcestershire sauce.
• Transfer sauce to slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High.
• Add pasta during last hour of cooking time.
• Add cheese and green pepper and cook on High 20 minutes more until cheese is melted and pepper is heated through.
• For the picture I posted I made this ahead and refrigerated.
• When the meal was due I heated it up 60 minutes 350*oven; added cheese last 15 minutes.