From our member:
I made this last week and it was delicious, filling and comforting - just the way an adult mac and cheese should be. I used the kale and chard from last week's share instead of spinach - a quick blanch and a rough chop will make for a hearty substitute.
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 to 6 servings
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound rigatoni
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound hot or sweet Italian chicken sausage (or Italian pork sausage), casings removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3 garlic cloves, grated
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 6 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
1 cup ricotta
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup/4 ounces shredded mozzarella
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
FOR GARNISH
Basil leaves
Crushed red pepper
Lemon zest
PREPARATION
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package’s instructions. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Step 3
In a large (preferably ovenproof) skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it’s cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the pan.
Step 4
In the same pan (no need to wash it), lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and stir for 1 minute, allowing the flour to become fragrant and nutty. Slowly stir in the milk, gently picking up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
Step 5
Next, mix in the grated garlic, lemon zest and reserved ¾ cup pasta water. Stir until a thick sauce comes together that coats the back of a spoon; 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and immediately stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more salt as needed.
Step 6
Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with the chicken sausage, spinach and shredded mozzarella. Give it a good mix until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer the pasta mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or other 3-quart baking dish).
Step 7
Cover the top with the slices of fresh mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mozzarella topping is melted with golden brown flecks. Garnish with basil leaves, crushed red pepper and more lemon zest to taste before serving.
