Okay! Here's the menu:
Sausage and Zucchini Baked Rigatoni
NO. SALAD.
What.
This recipe is a Tyler Florence Ultimate Dinner. Seriously, go get his cookbook. Its one of my favorites ever. The major difference between Tyler's recipe and what I made is that he uses eggplant and I use zucchini. I'm not a giant fan of eggplant, I find it gets super mushy super fast. I'm big on food texture.
Begin by browning some SPICY Italian sausage. If you want to use links, go ahead, if you want to use bulk, super. Just make sure it is around one pound of hot sausage. Heh. You are just searing the outside, don't worry if it doesn't cook through, it will continue to cook in the oven. If it is bulk sausage, leave it in bite sized chunks. If it is links, sear the outside of the links and then after you take then out of the pan, chop them into bite sized chunks. Either way, get a good sear on it, and then pop it out of the pan and into a large casserole or baking dish. In the same pan, pour a two count of olive oil and then throw in two large zucchinis that you have roughly chopped. You want the sausage pieces and the zucchini to be about the same (bite) size. Season with salt/pepper. Again, you just want to get some color here, do not over cook or the zucchini will mush out too, ewww. One they've got some color but are still firm, toss the zucchinis into the casserole with sausage.
Meanwhilst, simultaneously in a separate, large skillet, heat a four count of olive oil, then throw in one chopped onion. Let that soften for a few minutes, then smash three to four cloves of garlic and chop. Toss that in and let it cook for about a minute. Deglaze the pan with a few glugs of your favorite red or white wine. Remember, if you won't drink it, don't cook with it. It concentrates the flavor, for reals. Let the wine cook down for a few moments, then put in one 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. I like to use the kind that has italian seasonings in it because it saves some chopping and sometimes I'm super lazy. True story. Turn the heat down to medium-medium low and simmer the sauce for at least 1/2 hour. Add some chopped Italian parsley. Be sure to salt and pepper and taste often for seasoning.
Again, meanwhilst (lots of multitasking here, people!), pre-heat a large pot of water. Once boiling, salt generously and toss in 1 pound of rigatoni. Cook the rigatoni to just baaaaaarely al dente. It will continue to cook in the oven. Before you drain the pasta, fill half a coffee mug with the starch pasta water and set aside.
Okay, while all this was going on, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Add your pasta and red sauce to the casserole along with the sausage, zucchini, and 4 ounces of FRESH mozzarella (the kind that comes packed in delicious mozzarella water) that you've chopped in large pieces. Buy the eight ounce container, use half to mix into the pasta, and half you will sprinkle on top. Mix the pasta, sauce, sausage, zucchini, half a cup of pasta water, and half of your mozzarella in the casserole. Once well mixed, spread the rest of the mozzarella with some grated parmesean on top of the mix. You want to make a nice crust, so be sure to get some good cheese coverage. Pop that delectable mix into the oven for fifteen to twenty minutes. Keep a weather eye on it, once it looks browned an bubbly, take it out.
Let the pasta sit for at least ten minutes (this will be hard). Trust me, though, kids. You will sear the roof of your mouth otherwise, and no one wants that.
Your pasta bake should be cheesy, spicy, saucy, and delicious. Give it a try, especially on a night when you want to give a big, fat, carb filled middle finger to all those couture wearing biatches.
I'm not bitter.
XO,
D
0 comments:
Post a Comment