Spicy Rigatoni Bake

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 1 lb hot italian sausage
• 2 (700 ml) jars tomato and basil pasta sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 5 cups rigatoni pasta
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 degrees celcius.
• 2 in a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high. cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• 3 add red pepper, garlic, and fennel seeds. reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until onions are soft and golden.
• 4 transfer to bowl.
• 5 remove sausage from casings and brown the crumbled sausage meat, about 8 minutes.
• 6 drain off the fat.
• 7 stir in pasta sauce and vinegar.
• 8 return vegetable mixture to the pan. reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
• 9 meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for about 8 minutes, or until tender but firm.
• 10 drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
• 11 combine mozzarella and parmesan cheese, set 1 cup aside.
• 12 stir remaining cheese into pasta mixture.
• 13 pour into 13x9 inch glass baking dish, pressing pasta to submerge.
• 14 sprinkle with reserved cheese and parsley.
• 15 bake, covered, in oven for 30 - 45 minutes, uncover and continue for another 15 minutes or until golden.
• 16 to make ahead: let cool in refrigerator, cover and refrigerate for up to one day. or, overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks; thaw in refrigerator for 48 hours.