Cavatappi Pasta Recipe | Dairy Farmers of Manitoba

Prep Time

20 min.

Cook Time

18 min.

Serving Size

4-6

Great Tastes of Manitoba 2020-21

1 pkg (375 g) ground Italian seasoned sausage, mild or hot (or 4 (370 g) Italian sausages)
1 onion, diced
19 oz (540 mL) can diced tomatoes, drained (or 4 ripe plum tomatoes cored, seeded and diced)
2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
12 oz (375 g) cavatappi/tortiglioni/scoobi doo pasta – about 3 cups
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp (1 mL) nutmeg
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (125 mL) Canadian Ricotta
1 cup (250 mL) shredded Canadian Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste

1.	Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions or until al dente, about 8 min. Drain pasta very well. Set aside.
2.	In a large and deep oven safe skillet or pot, over medium heat, break apart sausage meat until crumbly. Add onion and stir frequently cooking until sausage is no longer pink and onions have softened, about 5 min. Add tomatoes and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, for 3 min to soften tomatoes slightly.
3.	Sprinkle flour, oregano and nutmeg over sausage mixture. Stir to combine. Gradually stir in milk. Stir until mixture boils and thickens, about 3 min. Stir in parsley, Ricotta and half the Parmesan. Remove from heat.
4.	Preheat broiler. Stir cooked pasta into sausage mixture. Add pepper and salt if needed. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Broil for a couple of minutes or until top is bubbly.

In the grocery store, look for sausage meat that has not been stuffed into the casing to make sausages.
If ground sausage meat is not available, use Italian sausages. Using a sharp knife, slit each sausage down the side.
Remove meat and place into ovenproof skillet to cook.
Any short pasta, such as fusilli or rigatoni, would also work well in this dish.
Instead of Ricotta, try shredded Canadian Swiss or Mozzarella cheese.