Pasta and Italian Sausage Bake

12 ounces dried farfalle (Bow Tie) pasta
4 mild or spicy Italian sausage links, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 14.5 oz can of whole Italian Tomatoes
1 teaspoon of butter mixed with 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese
1 small onion – minced
1 clove of garlic – crushed
2 tablespoons of fresh basil – roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped
2 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Romano Cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 

In a large skillet melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook under just tender. Add sausage links to skillet and saute until cooked and lightly browned. Remove sausage mixture to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add whole tomatoes and chopped basil to the skillet and stir. Add salt to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

 

In the meantime, boil pasta in a large pot of water generously seasoned with salt. When pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside. Return drained pasta back to the hot pot and add butter and Parmesan cheese mixture. Cover and set aside, off the heat. After about 20 minutes sauce should be ready. Transfer it to a blender or food processor or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. Return to skillet and add the mascarpone. Season again if necessary at this point and add more if needed. If the sauce is too thick add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin.

 

Pour drained pasta in baking dish. Add just enough sauce over pasta to cover lightly and toss. Top with the sausage and sprinkle and top with Romano and then mozzarella cheese. Add more chopped basil and parsley and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese has melted. Serve immediately. Add more sauce if desired at serving.