It occurred to me the other day that I had completely forgotten how to make a casserole; I’ve spent a good chunk of my life in kitchens, and yet for the life of me, I didn’t know how to start making a casserole. And this seemed silly: in theory, a casserole should be the easiest of meals to prepare. Just put things in a dish, bake and serve, right? And it turns out that it really is that easy.
Casseroles seem to be relegated to either the hassled mom-style of cooking or to vague memories of 1950s dinners, all gluey sauces and housecoats. But it doesn’t have to be like that; for this dish, I went for spicy and savory, something both home-y and not completely boring.
Ingredients:
1 lbs ground Italian sausage (spicy based on your preferences)
2 cups cooked penne pasta
4 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes, thickly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp oregano
1 bay leaf
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded dry mozzarella
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375F. Heat a large sauce pot on high and add a tsp or so of olive oil. When it gets loose, add the sausage and let it slowly brown. Add chopped tomatoes, oregano, bay, pepper flakes and S&P and let stew on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bell pepper and pasta, but don’t let it sit too long: you don’t want the pepper to cook long, since it’s there to vary consistency. Pour mixture in a large baking dish, layer the sliced romas on top and cover by sprinkling mozzarella. Let bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes and then rest 10 minutes to cool and set.
Serve it in front a black and white TV, ’50s style, or out in the garden with a glass of mild Chianti. Either way, it’s a casserole and it’s delicious.
by Nathan Kamal
