If you have ever been fortunate enough to witness my skills in the kitchen then you may know I typically burn most recipes I attempt to make. I guess “skills” isn’t the best word to describe what goes on in there. No, I am no exaggerating. I just wasn’t blessed with the cooking gene that many of the woman in my family have. It skipped me gracefully and in turn I was given the gift of baking! A fair trade it is and I take full advantage. But this doesn’t mean I don’t at least try to make delicious easy meals for my family. In fact, this week I was given the task of taking a traditional recipe & making it my own with a twist. Not only is it fool proof but it’s also quick, packed with an explosion of flavors, easy to make, and involved my favorite Ragú pasta sauce. Did I mention it’s a no-boil pasta dish? It doesn’t get any better than this, I promise!
Using Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce I created a Spicy Italian Penne Bake for dinner. Each jar of Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce is packed with 11 juicy tomatoes, making it richer, thicker and just tastes better. By adding in spicy sausage I was able to make this recipe my own. I like to call it my “tra-dish.”
Ingredients:
- 1 jar (8 oz.) Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 12 oz. of ricotta cheese
- 16 oz. of fresh mozzarella cheese
- 16 oz. of uncooked penne pasta
- 16 oz. of spicy sausage
- 2 eggs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Fry sausage in medium saucepan and set aside.
3. Combine Ragú sauce, water, and uncooked penne pasta in large bowl. Stir contents together and add 1 tbsp. of Italian seasonings. Pour mixture into un-greased casserole dish.
4. In a bowl add ricotta cheese with two whole eggs. With a light hand add garlic powder, pepper, and sea salt. Stir together until smooth.
5. With a large spoon add scoops of the ricotta cheese to different areas of the pasta. Sprinkle fresh mozzarella on top until
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. After this time, remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes or until cheese is golden.
This recipe turned out better than I could have ever imagined! It was hard to believe that a dish this tasty was so simple to make. The spicy sausage gave a kick of flavor which blended perfectly with the rich tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. You can also add a spin to your favorite recipe using Ragú sauce with a variety of ingredients. Add vegetables, meats, spices, and even white wine to turn any dish into your “tra-dish.”
For more easy and authentic Italian recipe ideas visit Ragú on Facebook. There will also be sweepstakes happening very soon where you can enter to win Italian themed prizes including a grand prize trip to Venice for a family of four! Check back soon for details.
Disclosure: I received a gift card to purchase the sauce & ingredients. All opinions are my own!
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