Name: Italian sausage pasta bake
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 6 (750g) pork and fennel or italian-style sausages; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 large (200g) brown onion, thinly sliced; 400 gram can chopped tomatoes; 400 gram can tomato puree or passata; 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn; 375 gram rigatoni, penne or other short pasta; 4 bocconcini, torn; 3/4 cup (60g) finely grated parmesan; rocket salad, to serve (optional)

Ingredients

6 (750g) pork and fennel or italian-style sausages

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large (200g) brown onion, thinly sliced

400 gram can chopped tomatoes

400 gram can tomato puree or passata

1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn

375 gram rigatoni, penne or other short pasta

4 bocconcini, torn

3/4 cup (60g) finely grated parmesan

rocket salad, to serve (optional)

Method

1.Make a long shallow cut along the length of each sausage, using a small, sharp knife. Peel away casings and discard. Crumble sausage meat into pieces.

2.Heat oil in a large frypan over a high heat. Add sausage pieces and cook, stirring, until browned all over and just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

3.Add onion to pan. Cook, stirring, until softened. Return sausage pieces to pan. Add tomato and puree. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until thickened. Season. Stir through the basil.

4.Meanwhile, cook pasta in plenty of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup (60ml) pasta cooking water.

5.Add pasta to sausage mixture and toss to combine. Add a little of the cooking water if necessary to help pasta and sauce amalgamate.

6.Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan forced. Transfer pasta mixture to a medium shallow ovenproof dish. Top with bocconcini and parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned. Serve with rocket salad, if desired.