Hearty Pasta Casserole.
You will need:
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed.
8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced (about 2 cups).
2 medium stalks celery, Thinly sliced (about 1 cup).
2 medium carrots, shredded or finely chopped (about 3/4 cup).
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup).
1 to 2 cups red wine or beef broth.
1 jar (16 ounces) spaghetti sauce.
1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
1/2 cup milk.
1 box (12 ounces) rigatoni or other tube-shaped pasta.
1 cup ricotta cheese.
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided.
Tools.
10" fry pan.
3 gal sauce pan.
2 1/2-quart casserole dish. I used an 11" X 8".
aluminum foil.
egg slicer for slicing hole mushrooms.
both dry and wet measuring cups.
both teaspoons and tablespoons sets.
Kitchen Tip.
Undercook any pasta that will be further cooked or baked in a recipe. Otherwise, your pasta will end up overcooked, making it soft and mushy.
Making the Pasta Casserole.
In a large skillet, combine sausage, mushrooms, celery, carrots, and onion; cook over medium-high heat until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add wine; cook over medium heat until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Add spaghetti sauce and pepper; mix well. Bring sauce mixture to a boil; stir in milk. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions, but reduce cooking time by 2 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water. Return pasta to saucepan; stir in the sauce mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon half the pasta mixture into a 2 1/2-quart shallow casserole dish. Spoon in ricotta, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.
Top with remaining pasta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Loosely cover the casserole with aluminum foil.
Bake the casserole for 20 minutes; remove aluminum foil. Continue to bake until casserole is heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Set aside for 5 minutes to let cool, and serve. Makes 4 servings.
I have made this recipe before and it is vary good.
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