Easy Baked Pasta

My apologies for the lack of posts during the past couple of months. I was quite ambitious to think I could maintain a blog while in grad school. "It'd be my creative outlet/break!" I said. Little did I know my breaks would be minimal and I would spend them vegging out to Netflix. But, I did keep a running list of topics I want to post about. I'll try my best to keep up with posting.

Friends in VA, I need to tell you about Sausage Craft's hot Italian sausage, which inspired this recipe. I've been pretty obsessed with it since I had it for the first time. It's made in Richmond and was only sold through Relay Foods in Charlottesville. When Relay Foods closed, I stocked up and slowly rationed myself until I can go to Richmond. Feel free to use your favorite sausage for this recipe :)

I love how easy this pasta dish is to put together and I especially love the Panko bread crumb topping. It gives the dish a nice little crunch when you eat it.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz penne, cooked

• Olive oil

• 6 oz Italian sausage

• 1/4 medium onion, diced

• 1/2 jar of your favorite tomato pasta sauce

• Grated parmesan and mozzarella

• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumb

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of water with salt and set aside.

Heat up a bit of oil in a cast iron skillet or another oven proof skillet on medium heat. Sautee the diced onion for a couple of minutes, then add the Italian sausage. Break the sausage into small pieces.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Once the sausage is cooked, add the pasta sauce. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more salt, if needed.

Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce in the same skillet. Top with grated parmesan and mozzarella. The quantity of both is your choice. You can use an Italian cheese blend, as well. Finally, generously sprinkle the Panko bread crumb over the cheese.

Move your skillet full of delicious pasta into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumb is golden.