Baked Pasta With Sausage And Tomato Pesto

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb hot italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (26 ounce) boxes pomi brand marinara sauce (or other high-quality prepared marinara sauce)
• 6 tablespoons pesto sauce (store-bought is fine)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb penne
• 8 ounces smoked gouda cheese or 8 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, finely diced
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves

Recipe

• 1 in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausage and onion.
• 2 cook, breaking sausage up with a spoon, for about 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring frequently to cook onion evenly.
• 3 add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• 4 add marinara sauce and reduce heat to medium.
• 5 simmer for 10 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
• 6 stir in pesto and season with salt and pepper to taste. set aside.
• 7 cook penne in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente.
• 8 drain well.
• 9 preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 10 oil a 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
• 11 spread a thin layer of sauce over bottom of dish.
• 12 in a large bowl, combine pasta with remaining sauce, the gouda or mozzarella, 1/3 cup of the parmesan, and spinach, mixing well.
• 13 spoon mixture into prepared dish and sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup parmesan over top.
• 14 bake for about 30 minute or until casserole begins to bubble and cheese is browned.
• 15 serve hot.