Sausage & Cheese Rigatoni

This pasta is awesome! So much cheese!

Ingredients:

- 16oz rigatoni pasta

- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes in puree
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

- 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 oz goat cheese (may substitute another kind of cheese if desired)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

- torn fresh basil (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions.

Cook sausage, red pepper, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.

Add cream to sausage mixture; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat until sauce thickens slightly (5-8 minutes).

Meanwhile, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, goat cheese, egg, salt, and pepper.

Stir pasta into meat sauce. Spread 3 cups into each of two greased 11x7" baking dishes. Top each with half of the ricotta cheese mixture, then half of the remaining pasta mixture.

Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and top with mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese are melted, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with fresh basil if desired.

Freeze option: Omit cheese toppings and basil. Cover unbaked casserole and freeze. To use, partially thaw in the refrigerator overnight; remove to room temperature 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake as directed, adding the cheese and baking as needed for internal temperature to read 165 degrees. If desired, sprinkle with basil.