Recipe: Jan’s pink pasta with Italian sausage

We love eating Italian dishes at my house, especially my mom’s “pink pasta,” which is packed with flavor. While consuming it, you might think it requires a lot of time spent in the kitchen due to a homemade vodka-like sauce, but it’s quite the opposite. It’s not only delicious but ridiculously easy to make. [With no homemade sauce.] It’s so easy that I almost hate revealing the recipe…

*Scroll down for recipe*

A ‘penne’ for your thoughts…

What you’ll need:

• 1 lb. short pasta, such as penne
• 1 lb. Italian sausage (Remove from casing & brown the meat)
• 2 cups marinara sauce (I always use Colavita’s spicy marinara)
• 2 cups Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, plus additional for garnish
• 1 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Directions:

1. Remove Italian sausage from casing, then brown the meat. Set aside.
2. Cook pasta in salted water. (Cook a few minutes less than directions because the pasta will cook more in the oven)
3. Make “pink” sauce by stirring together marinara and Alfredo sauces in a medium saucepan. Stir until well blended, then add the fresh basil (chopped) and the cooked sausage. Cook on low.
4. Toss the pasta in the cooked pink sauce, then pour into a 9×13 baking dish.
5. Sprinkle pasta with cheeses.
6. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
7. Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family does! I usually serve it with garlic bread and a side salad.