Baked Ziti with Spinach, Sausage, and Tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed, crumbled
use spicy sausage if your family enjoys spice
substitute chicken sausage, if preferred
1 medium yellow onion*, chopped
3 cloves garlic*, minced
1-28 oz can diced tomatoes and juice*
10 oz (3 cups) penne pasta*
use whatever shape you have on hand, bowtie and fusilli are good options too
8 cups fresh spinach leaves*
¾ cup fresh pesto
Salt* and pepper* to taste
¾ cup grated pepper jack cheese
1 ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese*, divided
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a heavy fry pan, over medium heat, combine and brown the sausage, onion, and garlic. Then add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. While the mixture simmers, cook the pasta, al dente. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. After 10 minutes of simmering, while the pasta cooks, add the spinach, pesto and salt and pepper to taste, to the sausage mixture. Add the drained pasta to the sausage mixture and mix well. Add the pepper jack cheese and ¾ cup of the parmesan cheese and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and all the cheese melts. Serves 6. Enjoy!
Wine Pairing
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
Kid Version
My kids enjoy this pasta dish as is, but you can also reserve a bit of sausage, to cook on its own, and a bit of the cooked pasta. Add a little jarred marinara sauce, sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top and serve with a side of veggies (broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, peas).
*Recipe courtesy of Faye Svedeman (family friend)
