PASTA BAKE WITH SAUSAGE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6
• Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and gently cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 4-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
• Crumble in the sausagemeat and fry until coloured on all sides. Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and turn down the heat. Gently simmer for 10 minutes while you make the white sauce.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir to mix. Cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture has taken on a biscuit-coloured appearance. Slowly add the milk, bit by bit, whisking as you add to prevent any lumps from forming. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes to thicken slightly then remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile cook the penne in a pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and pour into the pan with the sausage and tomato mixture. Mix well. Pour this into a medium-sized ovenproof baking dish. Pour over the white sauce and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbling and golden.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch 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 teaspoons 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 a third 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.