Sometimes you just want an easy dinner… something that’s warm and cozy. I had a doctor’s appointment right after work on a school night – which meant Andy had to get the kids and get them going on homework and lunches right after school. The last thing he wants to do is make dinner too. On my lunch break from work I put this pasta bake together – We’d saved cherry tomatoes from the garden and I was able to find some herbs out there that the frost hadn’t killed. The house smelled amazing from the tomatoes and garlic in the oven. I got it all tossed together and put it in the fridge. Before I left for my appointment I set the timer on the oven and tossed it in there. I came home in time to take the foil off and brown the top and smell the amazing smells. We really liked this. I did use some odd sausage that Andy wasn’t a super fan of, it was chicken Italian sausage that came precooked, so it seems more like smoked sausage to him – not a favorite… had I used standard sausage you get in links and fry up – he’d been a happier camper. No worries -more for left overs for me and the kids!
Cherry Tomato Pasta Bake
1 ½ pounds cherry tomatoes
2 tbls olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, sliced
32 oz rotini noodles cooked, drained
½ lb. mild Italian Sausage (precooked)
½ cup ricotta cheese
Fresh herbs (oregano, basil, parsley)
1 jar of pasta or marinara sauce
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9 x 13 pan, drizzle oil over cherry tomatoes and sliced garlic. Bake for 35 minutes. While tomatoes bake, cook meat and boil pasta. When tomatoes are roasted and burst, toss in noodles, sausage, ricotta cheese, fresh herbs, and pasta sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Take cover off and bake for 10 minutes until middle is melty.
No comments:
Post a Comment