Baked Sausage Cavatelli

It'sa nota baked ziti. It's a Baked Sausage Cavatelli Recipe!

Yes, we all love a traditional baked ziti and although this site is all about traditional Italian pasta recipes there is nothing more traditional than PORK in an Italian pasta recipe, that's for sure. Italians love their pork.

1. Italian Sausage
2. Prosciutto Crudo
3. Pancetta
4. Pork Shoulder in a Ragu is amazing.
5. Prosciutto
6. Salami's

If you ever go into an Italian meat store you will see lines and lines, row upon row of pork in all shapes sizes and tastes.

So staying true and traditional it only seemed fitting to add a Italian sausage it to a baked pasta dish tossed with a bit of creamy "full fat" ricotta.

Baked Sausage Cavatelli Ingredients:

1. 1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage meat, or Spicy if you like a kick
2. 1 28oz can of Italian puree, which you can make yourself
3. 2 cups creamy, full fat, ricotta, keep a couple of spoonfuls aside for dolloping. See dolloping below.
4. 1 lb mozzarella sliced thinly
5. 1 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
6. 1 cup grated parmigiano cheese
7. 1½ cups water
8. 3 T olive oil
9. 2 cloves of crushed garlic
10. 1 bay leaf
11. ¼ tsp fennel
12. ¼ tsp sage
13. salt and pepper
14. 1 lb of cavatelli pasta

Baked Sausage Cavatelli Recipe Instructions:

Heat a large and deep sauté pan with olive oil and the garlic. A little secret is to add the olive oil and the garlic to the pan and then begin heating. This helps prevent the crushed garlic from burning.

Add the baby bella mushrooms to the pan and begin to brown. You don't want to completely cook them because we have a lot more cooking to go…

When the mushrooms begin to tender, add the sausage. Cook the sausage until it browned and delicious. You can drain some of the fat but that's where the flavor is so be generous. Now add the tomato puree, the fennel, the sage and salt and pepper. Stir until blended. Then add the water and stir again.

Now it's just a matter of time and patience. Easier said than done. Agreed?

Put on the water now for boiling and cooking your pasta. Please cook it al dente. It will be mushy if you don't once you bake it.

You see below the picture of the sauce before the simmer and reduction. Then after when it's thick and the flavors of the spices have been infused. It will fill the house.

This is a good time to preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

When the pasta is cooked,rinsed in cold water to stop the cooking process, and drained, you can begin to mix in the thick and delicious sausage, tomato sauce to the pasta. The pasta, after you've rinsed it in cold water, should be cool and ready to begin mixing.

Now it's time to mix in the ricotta into the pasta and sausage sauce. Don't mix too much. I tried to keep some clumps of ricotta in the mixture. Now pour the luscious mixture into the baking pan and dollop (I love that word "dollop") any extra ricotta on top. Just a couple of "dollops" will do.

Smear. There is another word that I love. Take the extra sauce you put aside and "smear" it onto of the baked sausage cavatelli pasta in the baking pan.

Now for the final stages of deliciousness. Dot, another good word, the top of the baked sausage cavatelli with mozzarella. I originally used diced and I have not tried sliced but like the idea of it. So, "dot" the top of the baking mixture and stick, yes "stick" that baby in the oven. YUM! Honestly I could have eaten it like this.

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook for 45 to 55 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top.

Let it rest for 20 minutes.

I personally could not wait so it was a mish mash of pasta, meatiness but ohhhh soooo delicious. And, great the next day too. Cold…

Vivere, Amare, Ridere e Mangiare Bene
Live, Love, Laugh and Eat Well!

Do you have a pasta recipe to share? Just like this baked sausage cavatelli I will post it right here on this site for a whole page dedicated to your Italian pasta recipe.