Baked Penne with Vodka Sauce, Ricotta & Sausage
This recipe for baked penne pasta combines homemade vodka sauce, with ricotta cheese and crumbled Italian sausage. It’s my go-to pasta casserole to serve friends and family, because it’s easy to make ahead of time and freeze wonderfully!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage
- 4 cups onions (thinly sliced, about 2-3 onions)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- salt and pepper
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup vodka
- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes (with the uice)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ cup cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven or large skillet over high heat. Remove casing from sausages and add to pan breaking apart as they cook. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onions and salt and pepper. Cook until onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add basil and garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add vodka and crush tomatoes with your hands. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for 40 minutes. Add thyme, cayenne and heavy cream, stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
- While cooking, cook pasta with a tablespoon of olive oil and salt until al dente. Drain.
- In a large bowl combine half of the ricotta cheese and half of the parmesan and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the pasta and toss to coat.
- Add the sausage mixture and mix well. Add the remaining ricotta and parmesan and mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 45 minutes.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- You can substitute shallots for a slightly milder onion flavor. They are smaller than white or yellow onions, so grab a couple.
- If you don't like a lot of heat, substitute mild sausage for the spicy.
- Half and half can be substituted for heavy cream if you want to lighten up the sauce a bit.
- If you have access to an Italian market, try to buy your ricotta there. It will be fresh and much better than what you can find at the grocery.
Nutrition
Calories: 677kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1212mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 548IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 2mg
