Early in my marriage I knew I'd need a lot of help in the cooking department and came across a great booklet at the grocery checkout called Lawry's Weekday Gourmet.  Over the years the booklet fell apart but I made sure to save this family favorite.

When I'm choosing a recipe I have two major criteria; it has to be very flavorful, and not have a lot of fussy ingredients.  This one definitely fits the bill.

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:
1/2 pound Italian sausage
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 ounces rigatoni pasta, cooked & drained
2 1/2 cups (10 oz.) grated Mozzarella cheese*
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs.

*I sometimes substitute with Monterey Jack cheese if I don't have Mozzarella on hand.

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350ยบ F.

In large skillet, crumble Italian sausage.  Brown 5 minutes; drain fat.  In small bowl, combine milk and flour; blend well.  Stir milk-flour mixture into sausage; bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally.  Stir in pasta, cheeses, garlic powder, and pepper.  Place in 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and place under broiler just until crumbs are browned.  (I sometimes skip this step).

farragio hint:
1/4 pound cooked diced ham or bacon can be substituted for sausage.


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