Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Quick Comfort Food

It is snowing tonight and that makes it a perfect night for comfort food.  

Nothing spells comfort better than pasta...and melted cheese.
deconstructed lasagna
Quicker than baked ziti or lasagna, this pasta dish is assembled in a skillet and then individual portions are placed under the broiler to melt a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella.  Speedy dinner for a busy week night.

Deconstructed Lasagna     makes 8 portions 
1 lb rigatoni
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 26 oz jar marinara sauce
1 teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or more!)
1 cup ricotta cheese
optional chopped fresh herbs such as basil, oregano or thyme

Cook rigatoni in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.  Drain pasta.
Preheat broiler.
While pasta is cooking, brown sausage in heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up large pieces with the back of a wooden spoon.  Add garlic, red pepper, and chopped fresh herbs if desired and saute until soft, 1-2 minutes.  Add marinara sauce and ricotta cheese.  Combine.  
Add drained pasta and mix until pasta is coated.  
Using oven-safe bowls, divide mixture into individual portions.  Top each bowl with shredded mozzarella.  
Place bowls under broiler and allow cheese to melt and turn slightly brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.  
Serve

2 comments:

  1. Hi there!

    I am visiting from stylish Angela Q's 365 blog! I am also a Michigan gal! Great site, with many different offerings. You had to have taken the BYW course too, as I see evidence of polyvore in my midst. Fun!

    Hugs, Margie

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks really good. With all this snow I am craving a warm and hearty dinner tonight...might have to give this a try. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

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