Are you the type of person who only goes to baseball games for that huge Italian hoagie stuffed with sausage and peppers? We’re with you. This week, our chefs took the beloved dish from stadium fare to elegant weeknight dinner. First, they replaced the hoagie roll with penne—its crevices are perfect for clinging to silky roasted garlic tomato sauce studded with sausage. Tender roasted bell pepper adds sweetness, and Parmesan delivers savory depth two ways: in the sauce and sprinkled on top. It’s safe to say this dish knocks it out of the park.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
1 unit
Bell Pepper
1 unit
Chili Pepper
9 ounce
Italian Pork Sausage Mix
1 clove
Garlic
6 ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains Wheat)
1 unit
Tomato Paste
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains Milk)
3 tablespoon
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains Milk)
4 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
1 teaspoon
Olive Oil
2 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Salt
Pepper
• Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Halve bell pepper; remove stem and seeds. Peel garlic. Thinly slice chili.
• Drizzle each bell pepper half with oil and season with salt and pepper; place, cut sides down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet. • Place garlic in the center of a small piece of foil. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Cinch into a packet and place on same sheet. • Roast on middle rack until bell pepper is lightly charred and garlic is softened, 20-25 minutes.
• Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.
• While pasta cooks, remove sausage* from casing if necessary; discard casing. • 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, 4-6 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 more. Turn off heat.
• Carefully transfer roasted bell pepper and garlic to a cutting board. Thinly slice bell pepper into strips. Mash garlic with a fork. • Return pan with sauce to low heat. Stir in garlic and cream sauce base. • Stir in bell pepper, drained cavatappi, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), and 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings). TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.
• Season pasta with salt and pepper; divide between bowls. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and a pinch of remaining chili if desired. Serve.
Pork Sausage is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°.