Tuscan Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 8  ounces Italian sausage or 8  ounces  uncooked turkey Italian sausage
• 8  ounces gemelli pasta (2 cups) or 8  ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained (2 cups)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
• 4  ounces  crusty Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 1  cup  pitted kalamata olive, halved
• 1  cup  shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz.)
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon  snipped fresh sage or 1  teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• 1  teaspoon  snipped fresh thyme or 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 1  medium tomatoes, sliced
• 2  ounces  shredded asiago cheese, Parmesan (1/2 cup) or 2  ounces romano cheese (1/2 cup)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Remove casings, if present, from sausage. In a skillet cook and crumble sausage; drain. In a very large bowl combine sausage, cooked pasta, cream cheese, bread cubes, olives, and mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, sage, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture. Stir gently.
3. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole. Bake, covered, for 35 minutes. Uncover; top with tomato slices and Asiago cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional fresh thyme, if desired.