Thursday, September 3, 2009

SPICY PENNE LASAGNA CASSEROLE WITH SAUSAGE


One of my favorite dishes is Lasagna, and this dish is basically the same just without the flat noodles.  Made to satisfy the italian spice demon in our bellies that was becoming angry from lack of attention, this number quickly rose to the top of the charts muscling it's way past so many of our "lite" summer fare offerings.

  
Ingredients / Vendor:

Tomatoes / Our Garden
Sausage / Kroeger & Sons
Onion, Garlic, Basil / Madison's
Shaved Parmesan / Madison's
De Cecco Penne / Silverglade's
Ricotta Cheese, Mozzarella / Gibbs Cheese
Olive Oil / Dean's Mediterranean
Crushed Red Pepper, S&P / Herbs & Spice
Egg / Heist Fish & Poultry




Modified recipe from "Food & Wine" magazine.

We actually decided to bake this glorious casserole in our toaster oven to cut back on the heat in the kitchen.  We made the red sauce a day ahead and let it sit overnight for the flavors to fully develop.  We knew that this was more of a winter dish but sometimes you cant deny classic home made stick to your ribs casseroles, especially lasagna and any of its close relatives.  What really stood out in this concoction was the ricotta.  It was the sweetest ricotta we've ever tasted with the perfect amount of sourness to it, that worked splendidly to balance out the spicy zing we added to the recipe.  It's so delicious you could eat it by the spoonful straight out of the container, oops did I do that.  Maybe when it gets closer to holiday time, the Feed Me Findlay Dynamic Duo will venture out into dessert world and put our beloved ricotta to the test in a new arena.  Yup-yup, as always fresh makes it best!

Support your local businesses and farmers. Support Findlay Market.