Sausage and Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta

Drizzle bell pepper halves with oil, salt, and pepper; place cut sides down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Place garlic cloves on a small piece of foil and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper; cinch into a packet and place on baking sheet. Roast until bell pepper is lightly charred and garlic is softened, 20-25 minutes.

Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. (TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.) If desired, stir in a pinch of chili; cook until fragrant, 15 seconds. Add tomato paste and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (¾ cup for 4 servings). Simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat.

Transfer roasted bell pepper halves to a cutting board; thinly slice. Remove roasted garlic cloves from foil; transfer to cutting board and gently mash with a fork. Return pan with sauce to low heat. Add mashed garlic and stir to combine. Stir in sliced bell pepper, cavatappi, sour cream, 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings), and half the Parmesan. (TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.) Season with salt and pepper.