Italian Mac-N-Cheese

Name: Italian Mac-N-Cheese
Ingredients: 1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews); 1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 12 crimini mushrooms, sliced; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup chicken stock; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 (10-ounce) sack, 2 1/2 cups, shredded Italian 4 cheese blend, available on dairy aisle; 1 can diced tomatoes, drained well; 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional; 1/2 cup Parmesan

14 ingredients

5 steps

Ingredients

1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews)
1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 (10-ounce) sack, 2 1/2 cups, shredded Italian 4 cheese blend, available on dairy aisle
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional
1/2 cup Parmesan

Directions

1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.
2

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
3

Preheat broiler to high.
4

To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
5

Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.