Shelly's Recipe

BAKED PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND FOUR CHEESES

Category: Pasta - Baked

1/4 cup pancetta, thinly sliced
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
2 ribs celery, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt for seasoning
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, meat cut into small pieces
1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed, meat cut into small pieces
1/2 cup red wine
4 or 5 sprigs of oregano, leaves torn
1 28-oz can of whole tomatoes, chopped
1 pound dried rigatoni
1 cup ricotta
1/2 pound Fontina or Taleggio, cubed
1/2 pound mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup parmigiano
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375. Bring a stockpot of water to the boil.

In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil. Saute the pancetta until crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the drippings on low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt. Add the sausage to the pan, cooking until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the red wine, turn the heat up to boil and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the oregano and the tomatoes along with their juices and continue cooking for at least 10 minutes.

When the water in the stockpot has come to a boil, salt it and add the rigatoni. Cook a minute or two less than the time required on the package (since it will continue cooking in the oven), then drain, reserving a bit of pasta water.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta with the Fontina and a splash of the pasta water, then add the drained rigatoni and continue mixing. Add the sausage mixture. Add the mozzarella to the bowl and mix well, then pour into an oiled 13x9 inch baking dish, sprinkling grated parmigiano and bread crumbs on top. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, and serve hot.