If the traditional Thanksgiving dishes aren't your forte during the holiday season, give this baked turkey sausage pasta with sun-dried tomato sauce dish a try. You won't regret it!
Heat 2 tablespoons Colavita olive oil with sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic on medium heat.
In a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat 2 tbsp Colavita Olive Oil. Add the turkey sausage to the skillet. Season the meat with salt and paprika. Begin to sauté the turkey, breaking it into smaller bits with a wooden spoon as you do so.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic and continue to cook, adding more Colavita Olive Oil if the pan gets too dry.
Cook the sausage until it's cooked through completely, about 8 minutes. About 1 minute before it is cooked, add the chopped spinach to wilt it.
Heat your oven to 375°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne for 4 minutes. It will be underdone, but it will cook completely when you bake it in the oven.
Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss it with the oil, sausage and sun dried tomatoes to coat it.
Move the pasta and sausage mixture to a baking dish. Add the half and half, the grated asiago cheese, the ricotta cheese, and ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Stir to make sure all the ingredients are well mixed.
(Note: at this point, you can bring the dish to you host’s house and complete the baking there.)
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake, covered, in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, until the top is crispy. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, top with fresh parsley and serve.
Servings 8