Italian-American baked rigatoni with sausage, bell peppers, tomato sauce, and melted cheese.
# Components:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 pound rigatoni
→ Meats
02 - 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
08 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Cheeses
14 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Other
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
17 - Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil rigatoni in salted water until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Crumble and cook sausage until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, cook onion and bell peppers until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until aromatic.
05 - Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Return browned sausage to skillet and mix thoroughly with sauce.
07 - Toss rigatoni with sausage and pepper sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated.
08 - Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Layer remaining pasta and top with remaining cheeses.
09 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden.
11 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil or parsley and serving.
