Penne Pasta with Sausage in Pink Sauce

Possibly the most delicious pasta bake ever - with the combo of cheeses, richness of the Italian sausage and the combo of ragu and alfredo sauces!

This most incredible pasta bake was first sampled in a small restaurant in a small town in Washington State with just 8 small tables covered with small red-checked cloths and old empty wine bottles with candle drips masking their label - but not everything was small; particularly not the flavors!

Not only did I sample a legit antipasto, for which I have developed my own recipe over the years (see on this blog) but this is where I discovered PINK sauce. I was alarmed at the thought - pink Italian sauce? What makes pink? Strawberries and cream? Cottage cheese and jello?

But pink it was, where meat and sauce meet in PINK bliss! What inspiration! What flavor! How Italian! But Pink? Not really peony pink. I would have to defer to calling it peach-colored. Now that sounds lovely - “Peach” sauce, though that would definitely cause confusion as we poked about in the pasta looking for the fruit.

So Pink it is. This dish is so easy with just enough of a twist from ubiquitous lasagne to create an easy potluck dish, family dinner or one pan meal for sick or hungry friends and has been my go-to for years. The Italian sausage adds an indispensable seasoning for the melange of cheeses which are in and of themselves a great beginning but then add the PINK and you literally have it made!

This one’s a Princess of an Italian dish and appropriate for a star - Pink!

Penne pasta with sausage in Pink Sausage

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (broken up) or 1/2 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork

2 cloves minced garlic

1 can peeled, chopped tomatoes

pinch of sugar

2 tab tomato paste

1/3 cup finely chopped basil (1 tab. dried)

salt & pepper, to taste

3 tab. butter

3 tab. flour

2 cups whole milk

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pinch of nutmeg

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

4 strips bacon, diced and cooked until crisp (optional)

1/2 onion thinly sliced and fried in oil until caramelized (optional)

- In large skillet, heat 1 tab. olive oil. Brown meat and drain well. Return sausage to skillet and add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and basil. Stir and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-Meanwhile, prepare béchamel sauce: In a separate medium-size pot, melt butter. Stir in flour and 1 clove minced garlic and cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and slowly add milk, stirring to keep it smooth with a wire whisk. Cook over medium heat until béchamel sauce is thick and bubbly. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and nutmeg and continue cooking until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

-Combine the meat sauce and the béchamel sauce to create a pink sauce.

-Cook penne pasta according to package directions to desired doneness. Drain and rinse with hot water. Mix pasta with meat sauce and mozzarella cheese and spoon into a lightly greased 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese on top of pasta. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until bubbly. Allow to sit for 10 - 15 minutes then serve with extra grated parmesan cheese.

-Garnish with caramelized onion and bacon bits if desired. Serves 8 - 10.

Prepare the ragu sauce and the alfredo sauce separately and then combine.

Combine Alfredo and Ragu sauce and simmer.

Mix meat sauce with cooked pasta and cheese and spoon into casserole dish.

Layer meat sauce with cheeses.

Repeat meat sauce and cheese layers, then bake, uncovered until bubbly and cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon out creamy and ooey, gooey, cheesy penne for serving.

A lovely, rich pasta bake that invites all to dig-in!

Up close and personal, it looks as beautiful as it tastes!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**The term “pink” refers to the combination of ragu sauce with alfredo sauce, which creates a lighter red sauce than ragu or bolognese alone. And though it isn’t really pink, it’s fun to call it “Pink Pasta”!

**In a pinch you can use bottled ragu and alfredo sauce. I’ve been known to do it myself when in a hurry but you can’t beat the homemade slowly simmered sauce.

**The combination of parmesan cheese, provolone and mozzarella are a great combo in this dish and makes the partaker so happy that you went to the effort, but you can leave out one or the other. When making it with what you have on hand, the parmesan is rather essential but you could go with all mozzarella or all provolone if you don’t have both of those.

**The bacon and caramelized onion on top is optional and not traditional but you know it can’t hurt and lifts the overall dish just a bit, if possible!