Baked Acorn Squash Filled with Italian Sausage and Rigatoni

Filed under Pasta Sausage Vegetables

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 Acorn squash, medium, halved and cleaned
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed, 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup Red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 lb Rigatoni, cooked tender, tossed in olive oil and cooled
  • 1/2 lb Mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp Parsley, fresh leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil, for the tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup Onion, chopped, for the tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp Garlic, finely chopped, for the tomato sauce
  • 2 tsp Salt, for the tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp White pepper, for the tomato sauce
  • 2 1/2 cup Tomato, chopped, peeled, with juice, for the tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup Basil, fresh, chopped, for the tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup Chicken stock, for the tomato sauce
  • 1 pinch Sugar, for the tomato sauce

Directions

  1. Tomato sauce: heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onions, garlic, salt and white pepper 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in the stock and 18 turns of black pepper and simmer 2 minutes. Add sugar if acidic and cook 1 minute. The recipe calls for 4 cups; this makes about 3, so double it if you like more sauce.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, set flesh side up on a baking sheet with 1/2 cup water, cover with foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cool completely.
  3. Brown the sausage and onions in a large saute pan over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes.
  4. Toss the sausage and onions with the tomato sauce, pasta and cheese and season.
  5. Fill the squash cavities and bake on a baking sheet until heated through and the cheese melts, about 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley.