Baked Penne with Sausage

Cold nights are coming! This easy 5-ingredient casserole will warm everyone up in no time. I love the way the pasta cooks in the sauce here - it adds great flavor. (from my friend Tracy)

1 lb penne pasta

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed

two 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes - I like Muir Glen, with basil or fire-roasted

parmesan cheese to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine uncooked penne and olive oil in a large, deep baking dish. Let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the sausage until no longer pink, breaking up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir cooked sausage and crushed tomatoes into the pasta mixture.

Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes and then check pasta for doneness. It should be tender to the bite, but not too soft. Mine took more like 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven, stir well and sprinkle liberally with grated parmesan. 

*My spouse requires bread with pasta. I make garlic toast with whatever bread I have on hand. Brush it with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic salt and bake for the last five minutes with the pasta.