I’m always amazed at how sharp and intuitive kids are these days. There’s no better place to see this play out than in a kitchen. Add to that observation a growing number of young people who are interesting in cooking, and you have a picture of what my kid’s cooking class was like this week. They made a fantastic one-skillet wonder of raw pasta, lots of cheeses, sausage and marinara sauce that magically all cooked together in no time! The big surprise was how tasty the actual pasta was! How can it not? The pasta is actually cooked in all of those tasty sausage juices, red sauce and garlic instead of being boiled separately in a pot of water. (Salt can only add so much flavor to pasta!) The kids in my cooking class told me they love pasta and wanted an easy way to cook it without a lot of pots and pans. This recipe was perfect for them, and I guarantee it’s going to be perfect for you and your family! Buon Appetito!
| Servings |
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage (pork or chicken)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried oregano
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 jar Rao’s Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (32 ounces)
- 1 can crushed or strained tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces dried Bowtie, Penne or Rigatoni-shaped pasta (or pasta of your choice)
- 14 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Ingredients
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- Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a 12 or 14 inch oven proof skillet, add olive oil and heat on medium high until oil glistens, about 3 minutes. Crumble sausage into skillet, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, and red-pepper flakes, cooking another 2 minutes. Stir in the entire jar of Rao’s Tomato Basil pasta sauce and mix to combine. Add bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in pasta and 1 ½ cups water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, gently stirring so pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove the bay leaves. Gently stir in 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the remainder of the mozzarella over the pasta mixture. Spoon dollops of whole-milk ricotta over the mozzarella. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the ricotta. Place skillet in the oven and bake uncovered until pasta is tender and cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with fresh basil, Serve with crusty sour dough bread. Yields: 4-6
