Email to Cat      

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Bake

Source of Recipe

From "In the Kitchen with David" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"I've loved pepperoni pizza ever since I was old enough to order my first hot, gooey slice. One day I wondered what would happen if I combined my favorite pizza toppings in a baked pasta dish. Voilà! Don't care for pepperoni? Then add your own preferred toppings. Serve a simple green salad and some garlic bread for a winning meal the entire family will love."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Vegetable cooking spray
â—¦ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
â—¦ 1 12-ounce box penne or ziti
â—¦ ½ pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed and sausage crumbled
â—¦ ½ cup chopped onion
â—¦ 1 14-ounce jar pizza sauce
â—¦ 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
â—¦ ½ cup milk
â—¦ ¼ pound thinly sliced pepperoni
â—¦ ¼ cup diced Canadian bacon
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
â—¦ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
â—¦ 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella
â—¦ â…“ cup (about 2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
â—¦ ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 2 ½-quart baking dish with the vegetable oil spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and penne and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and onion and cook until the sausage is evenly browned and the onion is tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Carefully drain as much of the drippings as possible from the skillet. Set aside.

Combine the pizza sauce, tomato sauce, and milk in a large bowl. Stir in the sausage mixture, the pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Add the pasta and stir gently until thoroughly coated with the sauce.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheeses are melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings