Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage

You can make this with different kinds of pasta, but the size and shape of Penne Pasta holds the sauce really well.  We prefer the hot Italian sausage, but you can use mild if you like.  Serve with a nice side salad and a bottle of red.  Serves a bunch!

Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

4 tbl. olive oil

2 strips bacon, cut into small pieces

3 cloves of garlic, smashed & minced

16 oz. Italian sausage, skins removed

1 red onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

32 oz. diced tomatoes

8 oz. tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

¼ cup red wine

½ cup water

2 tsp. brown sugar

2 tbl. tomato paste

14 oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained & quartered

8 oz. half-and-half cream

16 oz. penne pasta

8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, coarsely shredded

Parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

·         Cook the bacon over medium heat in 1 tbl. olive oil until just cooked, but not browned

·         Add garlic and Italian Sausage and mix well, continue cooking (breaking up the sausage) until the sausage is no longer pink inside

·         Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes

·         Add remaining olive oil and mushrooms, cook & stir 10 more minutes

·         Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaf, red wine, water, and brown sugar

·         Cook and stir over medium-high about 5 minutes until just starting to boil

·         Reduce heat to low and add the tomato paste and mix well

·         Cover and cook (stirring occasionally) for 3 to 4 hours (add a little water if it gets too thick)

·         Add the artichoke hearts and remove the bay leaf

·         Cook and stir about another 5 minutes, then remove from heat

·         Cool for about 15 minutes, then stir in the half-and-half cream

·         Keep sauce warm over a low heat

·         Prepare the penne pasta as directed on the package

·         Drain pasta, and stir in 1 tbl. of olive oil

·         Put a little of the sauce in a large baking dish, then add 1/3 of the pasta and 1/3 of the Mozzarealla

·         Repeat layering twice more, finishing with a layer of sauce on top (stir in slightly)

·         Bake at 350° for 1 hour, until bubbly

·         Let cool slightly before serving, and top with Parmesan cheese