Baked Pasta and Italian Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 lb of elbow pasta
• 1 lb of sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• a few good handfuls of grated cheese (Italian mix) or 3/4 lb Fontina cheese, rind removed, sliced as thinly as possible
• 1/2 cup basil chiffonade (rolled into a �cigar� and sliced finely)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In large pot, cook pasta according to package directions, ONE MINUTE less than required. Drain pasta and set aside.
3. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large skillet or pan, add sausages and use the back of a spoon, or spatula to break up into small pieces. Cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from the skillet and put on a plate, but leave the oil and fat renderings.
4. Add remaining 1 TBS oil to the pan, heat, and cook onions until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an extra minute. Add sausages back in and add tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano. Continue to cook until all the sauce is hot and bubbling. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning according to your taste. Add pasta to the skillet and toss and heat through.
6. Pour out into a 3 quart casserole dish. Top with cheese.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is all melted. Remove from oven and top with basil chiffonade. Serve and enjoy!