Remember how I said I was going to not do recipes that were variations on macaroni and cheese? That was clearly a lie. If you've met me, you had already figured that out and if you haven't met me and you thought this was a tumblr for Patrick Swayze gifs, I'm so sorry but if you find that tumblr, please message me separately because I, too, am searching for that very page.
Ahem.
Anyway.
I had a hankering for pizza but also really wanted pasta. So did my dear friend, Brooke Hills.
So this is what happened.
Recipe #2: PIZZA CASSEROLE
Choice of libation: Rosenblum Cellars Vintners' Cuvee Zinfandel (smooth, inoffensive, tastes like...a red wine)
Choice of music: Shirley Bassey, Greatest Hits (Dame Bassey is, as always, glorious (except for the weird club mixes))
I highly recommend a sous chef that looks like a Disney princess. She will chop and mince and dice while you spill marinara sauce and red wine everywhere. Note the piece of bread on the corner of the cutting board, which Brooke used to hold in her mouth to keep from weeping while chopping onions. I always just cry into my food so this was a new technique for me.
You really could put anything in this casserole that you'd want on a pizza. So we started by sauteing red onions, garlic, mushrooms and garlic chicken sausage, seasoning to taste.
We add to the pot some pepperoni, marinara sauce and red peppers = protein and suggested daily serving of vegetables. Nobody needs to know who suggested it.
We started with a layer of pasta, followed by sauce, followed by cheese and then repeated that until there wasn't any more room for things.
Ooh, look at all that whole wheat rotini and mozzarella goodness. I mean...Fiber and calcium, what could be better for you?
And more pepperoni...I can't nutritionally justify more pepperoni, but it does make it more pizza-y.
Dang it. I thought this picture peering through the oven window would turn out better. All it does is remind me I need to clean the oven window.
We threw it in the oven for about 35 minutes, which made it good and gooey but if you like it a bit crisp and burned on the top, you could probably leave it in for 40 or 45 so. After making sure the wine was okay to serve to Brooke and Chad (taste testing is key for being a good hostess and wife), here's the final result. Olives are green. So. It is basically a salad. Ta da!
This recipe was stolen from...
http://www.closetcooking.com
12 ounces pasta
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3 cups (24 ounces) pizza sauce or marinara sauce
1/2 cup sliced black olives
4 ounces pepperoni
8 ounces ricotta
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
1/2 teaspoon oregano (optional)
Cook the pasta as directed on package but stop 3 minutes early, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a large saucepan over medium heat, about 10 minutes.
Mix in the sauce with the sausage and 3/4's of the olives and pepperoni and set aside.
Mix the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and set aside.
Place half of the pasta in the bottom of a large baking dish, top with half of the sauce, followed by half of the cheese mixture and repeat with another layer of each, finally topping with the remaining olives, pepperoni and oregano.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven covered in foil until bubbling at the sides, about 20-30 minutes, remove the foil and bake until the cheese has melted and started to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Option: Use your favourite pizza toppings!
SUCCESS!!!
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