Pumpkin Sausage Pasta al Forno

I know I say a lot of things are my favorite, but I REALLY mean it when I say pasta al forno is my favorite. I could eat it every Sunday for the rest of my life! This fall rendition of pasta al forno with pumpkin and sausage takes comfort food to a whole new level.

Ingredients

1 pound of penne

1 pound of sweet fennel sausage ground

1 cup of pumpkin puree

1 28 oz can of tomato sauce

1 fresh mozzarella

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

salt to taste

Directions

In a large pot, add your garlic, oil, rosemary and ground sausage. Let cook on medium heat until sausage browns

Fill a large pot with water, add a generous amount of salt and place on medium heat for cooking your pasta later

Once sausage is browned, add your can of tomato sauce and turn the flame low

Add salt, pumpkin and nutmeg. Allow your sauce to simmer for 30 minutes

Cut your mozzarella into chunks and place into a food processor until it is crumbled

Once your pasta water boils, cook your pasta for half of the designated time on the package

Turn your sauce off and remove the garlic cloves

Drain your pasta once it has cooked for half of the cooking time

In a tray, add sauce to the bottom and then add your pasta. Cover the top with the rest of the remaining sauce and mix well with a spoon until all of the pasta is covered in sauce

Next, start to sprinkle the crumbled mozzarella over the top and mix so the mozzarella is well combined with all of the pasta

Pat the pasta down so it is flat on the top of the tray and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top so it gets a nice crispy coating when it bakes

Put the tray in the oven at 350 F and bake for 30 minutes

Let sit for 10 minutes when it is done cooking and then serve

Buon appetito!