I think we can all agree, there’s just nothing like Mom’s home cookin’. It just tastes better, doesn’t it? For that reason I’ve asked my Mom to submit some of her favorite recipes for me to share with y’all each Monday. Let’s get cooking in the kitchen with Mom!
The weather has FINALLY begun to turn a bit cooler where I am, and for that I am so happy. There’s nothing like a crisp, cool evening where you can cozy up to a warm bowl of hearty comfort food, like today’s Turkey Sausage Rigatoni. It’s got loads of spicy turkey sausage and creamy cheeses, all pulled together by a delicious homemade red sauce – it’s truly one of my favorite pasta dishes my Mom makes. And here’s your an indicator of how good this dish really is – I couldn’t even get a picture of it before people started digging in!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet or hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 oz. rigatoni
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
- 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook to al dente, no more. Drain. Toss with small amount of olive oil to keep from sticking.
While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine this mixture with the cooked pasta.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 3 to 4 quart oven-proof casserole dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Serve and enjoy!