Penne & Sausage Casseroles

The first time I made this recipe, I used English sausage meat, it’s not the same as the stuff you can get in America, it’s a lot smoother, like a really dense paste and sticky. The fact it is sticky makes it difficult to work with unless you are making sausage rolls or pork pies. I would suggest using pork sausages instead and squeezing out the meat from their skins for this one – or bratwurst, but the fresh ones, unless of course you are in the States.

Penne & Sausage Casseroles

1 cup uncooked penne pasta

100 grams Sausage meat
100 grams mushrooms, sliced
½ onion finely chopped
1  tbsp evoo
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp oregano
250ml dry red wine
500ml tomato sauce of choice
1 beef stock cube
100 grams mozzarella cheese coarsely shredded

1. Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage meat over a medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. Add the Garlic and oregano; cook for a minute. Stir in ¾ of the wine. Bring to a boil; then cook until liquid is reduced by half, stir in the tomato sauce, stock cube, sausage meat and the remaining wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Drain the pasta, Grease four ramekins, spread sauce in each, divide the pasta between each, top with mozzarella, repeat in layers.

4. Cover and bake at 350°F/180°C for 25 minutes, uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.