Some days when the wind is cold and biting with no sun in sight I know making a hearty pasta dish is just perfect comfort food for dinner. All the ingredients for my Baked Penne I purchased at Trader Joe’s except I made my own Pomodoro sauce. Trader Joe’s has a tasty prepared Pomodoro sauce which will cut down the time to make an easy home-cooked meal. Put the casserole together the night before and bake for dinner the next day. Delicious, easy and a quick home-cooked meal!
1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
8 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
8 ounces Burrata mozzarella, two balls chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoon dry oregano
Pomodoro Sauce* or Trader Joe’s Rustico
8 ounce cooked chicken sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine ricotta, 1/2 burrata, parmesan cheese, oregano in a medium-size bowl. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside. Place 1/4 cup of Pomodoro sauce at the bottom of the baking dish(13-inch x 9-inch). Add half penne to baking dish over sauce. Top with cheese mixture, layer with 1/2 remaining sauce, penne and top with rest of sauce. Finish with remaining Burrata. Bake 35- 40 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
*Pomodoro Sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 28 ounce can pureed Pomodoro tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
Kosher salt
3 large fresh basil sprigs
In a saucepan over medium heat saute onion and garlic in oil for two minutes. Add red pepper flakes, tomatoes and wine. Cook for 5 minutes. Add salt, basil and sliced sausage. Simmer for ten minutes.
Enjoy!
