A Little Piece of Italy

I’m big on creating new recipes and making them easy. This menu fits that criteria and is wonderful served with a tossed salad, fresh Italian bread, and a good bottle of red wine.

Curly Pasta Bake

1# Campanelle pasta or other curly pasta
8 cups Tomato and Garlic Pasta Sauce (see below)
¾ cup grated mozzarella cheese
¾ cup grated provolone cheese
¼ heaping cup grated Parmesan

Coat the bottom of an ovenproof dish with 1 cup sauce. Add in dried pasta and 4 cups sauce. Mix well.

Sprinkle a ¼ cup of mozzarella and provolone across the top of the pasta.

Ladle over 3 cups of sauce.

Scatter remaining mozzarella and provolone over the mixture.

Dust on Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

To Bake:
Remove dish from fridge 2 hours before baking.

Preheat oven to 325°F

Bake 30 minutes or until hot.

Leftovers freeze well. You made need more sauce or a little chicken stock when you reheat.

Serves 4

Italian Sausage

5 Italian sausage links – mild or hot
½ cup chicken stock
Red and/or yellow peppers cleaned and cut into strips
Olive oil
Oregano

Preheat oven to 350°F

Pour the chicken stock into a baking dish. Nestle the sausage in the stock. Bake for 30 minutes.

Turn the sausage, then lay the pepper strips on top. Sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook for 30 minutes.

Leftover sausage freezes well. Later, use them for sandwiches on crusty rolls and smothered in the tomato sauce. Serve with French fries for an easy meal.

Tomato and Garlic Pasta Sauce

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped fine
1½ tbsp. garlic, pressed
4 cups tomato puree or sauce
1 six-ounce can tomato paste, pesto type
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup dry red wine
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a 3-4 quart saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and transparent, 6-8 minutes. Do not let them brown. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Pour in the tomato sauce and all remaining ingredients. Stir well after each addition.

Bring sauce to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 1 hour. Be sure to stir often of the bottom will burn.

Remove bay leaf.

This sauce is excellent for all your favorite Italian pasta, poultry, and meat dishes. It also freezes well.

Mangiare Bene!

Sloane Taylor
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