Baked Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms and Fontina

The ultimate winter pasta dish for a casual gathering of family or friends.

8 servings
  • Kitchen Tested
baked pasta with sausage 1

The sausage-mushroom mixture can be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Rewarm over low heat before combining with the pasta.

Ingredients
  • tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 12  ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

  • pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed, and quartered

  • 1/2  cup sliced shallots

  • teaspoons minced fresh garlic

  • teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

  • 1/3  cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • teaspoon coarse salt, divided

  •   Freshly ground black pepper

  • tablespoons unsalted butter

  • tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • cups 2 percent reduced-fat milk

  • pound rigatoni

  • (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with purée

  • ounces Italian fontina, shredded

  • tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add sausage. Sauté, breaking up meat until no longer pink and beginning to brown. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon; pour off drippings, leaving behind brown bits. Add remaining oil and mushrooms to pan. Sauté until mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary; sauté 1 minute more. Add wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until wine is nearly evaporated. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper. Return sausage to pan and stir to combine.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
  3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook until foaming but not colored, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk; bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
  4. Cook rigatoni according to package directions, undercooking it by 3 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Add sausage mixture to pasta; toss well. Add béchamel and crushed tomatoes; stir to combine. Stir in fontina and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano.
  5. Transfer pasta mixture to baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmigiano Reggiano over top; cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Laraine Perri.

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