Baked Rigatoni With Kalamata Olives

Submitted by Vicki in CT

"Delizioso! Olives, sausage, and tomatoes combined for a terrific dish. This is the type dish that I don't really measure; I just throw in a lot of garlic and basil until it looks about right."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, Sclafani quick crushed preferred
• 16 ounces tomato sauce
• 8 ounces water
• 1⁄3 lb kalamata olive, drained and pitted and coarsely chopped (the kind in olive oil)
• 3⁄4 ounce basil, coarsely chopped
• 16 ounces rigatoni pasta, I get gigantoni when I can find it
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cook pasta according to directions, making sure to keep it al dente. Drain and place back in cooking pot. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in skillet cook sausage and onions until sausage is done (crumble sausage as it cooks). Drain well and set aside.
4. In same skillet add olive oil and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
5. Return sausage and onion to pan with garlic.
6. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water. Stir well. Cook at a high simmer. Add olives. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in basil.
7. Pour tomato sauce over pasta and toss to coat well.
8. Place layer of 1/3 of pasta in bottom of Pam sprayed casserole. Top with 1/2 of mozzarella. Top with another third of pasta. Top with remaining mozzarella. Repeat with final layer of pasta. Cover with foil.
9. Cook in oven for thirty minutes.
10. Remove foil and top with parmesan. Cook an additional 15-25 minutes. (We like it crunchy on top so cook the full 25 minutes. Cook it how you like it.).

Reviews

[janj289]

This was an unexpectedly absolutely delicious dish! I was visiting family made it on a spur of the moment thought for a day after Thanksgiving dinner. I shared it with family and they raved about it and asked me for the website and saved it in their electronic devices! Tasted good for a few days! It was such of an attractive dish that I posted a photo of it here.

 

[Irmgard]

This casserole was absolutely yummy! We had three dinners out of it, as well as two lunches for me. I thought it would be a little on the soupy side due to all the liquid in the sauce, but it all absorbed into the pasta while baking so the texture was just perfect. I love the addition of the kalamata olives. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Dani O]

This was the best baked pasta I have EVER made... really the best I've ever had ! I used penne pasta and chicken... didn't have tomatoes either, but those olives make the dish. Thanks for sharing... will definitely be a weekly dish; easy to make on a Sunday afternoon and throw in the oven later on that week:)

 

[Marie Nixon]

My husband and parents loved this dish. I used sweet Italian sausage rather than hot but otherwise followed the recipe as written. The kalamata olives lent a salty taste to the dish but no one complained.