The other night B and I made an additional dish to end our Lifetime “Cook Yourself Thin” recipe week. We didn’t put as much cheese as they stated in the recipe because they ask for a lot of cheese. Additionally we used whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta because I basically always use whole wheat in all my recipes (more filling and yummy!). Also this recipe makes a ton so we still have leftovers 3 nights later. It sort of tasted like a homemade macaroni cheese in the end, so if you love homemade mac and cheese and don’t mind broccoli, you have to make this!
Pasta Bake With Sausage, Broccoli and Beans
Serves 8
Calories per serving: 529
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large head of broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds, cut into small florets
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 pound rigatoni
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
1 pound Italian-style turkey sausage with fennel (removed from casing if uncooked or thinly sliced if precooked)
1 can cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 pound skim mozzarella, grated, 1/4 cup reserved
3/4 cup skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated, 1/4 cup reserved
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-x-13-inch gratin or baking dish.
2. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, broccoli and garlic. Simmer the broccoli and garlic for 5 minutes, until softened. With a slotted spoon remove the broccoli and garlic to a large bowl. Bring the water back to the boil, add the pasta, and cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package directions suggest, about 11 minutes. The pasta should be al dente, a little firm.
3. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add sausage and the garlic cloves from the broccoli bowl, and cook, stirring frequently until meat is fully cooked and no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes, if using fresh sausage. (If using fully cooked sausage, cook until surface is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.) With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the broccoli, and drain most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Discard the garlic.
4. Toss drained pasta with sausage mixture. Add beans, stock, 3/4 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and all of the ricotta. Add remaining salt and pepper. Gently toss. Transfer to prepared gratin or baking dish, top with breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with olive oil.
5. If making this in advance, allow the mixture to come to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, until heated through and crusty on top
Enjoy!
-K
