thursday marked not only our last day of classes but also my italian and sketchbook finals...halfway to freedom! in celebration, my apartment, margaret, jill, amy, kelsey, and eileen got together for a feast. stuffed artichokes, bruschetta, parmesan zucchini, fruit salad, caprese salad, baked pasta, and grilled chicken later, and we were all on the fast track to food comas. sad thing is, we hardly made a dent in our meal.

 which means one thing:

time to call in the boys.

Baked Pasta with Spicy Tomato & Sausage Sauce

Sauce:

1 lb. hot Italian Sausage, casings removed

1 Onion, finely chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 26-oz. Pomi brand Marinara Sauce, or other Marinara Sauce

6 Tbsp. Basil Pesto

Salt

Black Pepper

***

1 lb. Penne Pasta

½ lb. Smoked Gouda, or Mozzarella Cheese, finely diced

1 c. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

1 6 oz. bag Baby Spinach Leaves

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, for about 5 minutes, or until no pinkness remains. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring frequently to evenly cook the onion. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and reduce heat to medium, bring to low boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in pesto, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust to your liking. Set aside.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 375°. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the remaining sauce, diced cheese, ⅓ c. Parmesan cheese, and spinach leaves-mix well to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining ⅔ c. of Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole begins to bubble and the cheese is browned.