Do I have to bake it?

No, you don't have to! It is delicious, however, if you are short on time, it is still great as a sausage pasta. Simply spoon into bowls instead of an oven-proof dish and serve each portion topped with mozzarella and fresh basil.

How do I remove the casings from sausages?

This can seem a bit of a faff but gets easier once you have the hang of it. To remove the casings, score the skin done the length with a sharp knife, then pull away the sides. This works best if the sausages are fridge cold to start with.

What is ‘Nduja paste?

'Nduja is an Italian spreadable cured sausage paste made from pork, fat, spices, Calabrian chillies and herbs. It has a deep red colour and spicy flavour and is often used to add flavour to sauces and stews, as a pizza topping or spread on toast (it doesn’t need cooking). You can leave it out of this Sausage Pasta Bake if you want a milder, more family-friendly recipe.

Can I make this Sausage and Pasta Bake vegetarian?

Yes, opt for vegetarian-friendly sausages (you could even choose a flavoured variety) and either omit the ‘Nduja or purchase a plant-based version like this Belazu Ve-du-ya . Then all you have to do is swap the Parmesan for a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan-style hard cheese like Gran Moravia - although a strong Cheddar would work well too.

Nduja and Sausage Pasta Bake

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A perfect Sausage Pasta Bake, laced with nduja and crispy sausages in a creamy tomato sauce. It's really delicious and so simple.

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Category: Pasta
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Italian Inspired

Ingredients

Scale

6 good quality pork sausages, casings removed
Olive oil
300g cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp nduja paste
125g mascarpone
Fresh basil
400g pasta (we used orecchiette but use what you have)
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan, for grating
1 ball of mozzarella

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Instructions

In a pan with a drizzle of oil over medium heat, add the sausages and break apart with a wooden spoon into small pieces. To remove the casings, all you have to do is score the skin with a knife and then pull it away. Having the sausages fridge cold makes this easier. Once they are into small pieces, fry until deep golden brown. You want them totally crisp. This will take 10-15 minutes.
Once crisp, add the cherry tomatoes, tomato paste and nduja paste. Stir and fry for a few mins then add in a good splash of water. Bubble gently for 10 minutes, encouraging the tomatoes to burst by using the back of the wooden spoon and pressing down.
Meanwhile, get your pasta on to boil in a pot of well seasoned boiling water. Cook for 3 mins shy of package instructions. Heat the oven to 200c.
Once the tomatoes have formed a sauce, add the mascarpone and basil leaves. Add a splash of pasta water as needed to form a smooth and delicious sauce. Then add the cooked pasta, parmesan, more fresh basil and stir together. Add pasta water as needed to make it loose and silky.
Tip the pasta into an ovenproof dish and then cover with torn mozzarella and lots of grated parmesan. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the top is bubbling and crispy.

Notes

Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide on how to make this delicious sausage pasta bake with nduja.

To store: Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3 days. It will lose its crispy top but will still be delicious.

To reheat: If reheating one portion (if it was left over, for example), I would either reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until piping hot or add to a saucepan with a knob of butter over medium heat. Stir well until saucy and heated. If you have a lot left and it's still in the baking dish, you could place it back in the oven at 200c for around 15 minutes until bubbling. It's worth bearing in mind that this is definitely better fresh as the pasta is then perfectly cooked and you risk over doing the pasta if you re bake it a second time, but it'll still be delicious.

To freeze: Assemble the whole thing up until baking it. Cover with clingfilm and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat it, remove from the freezer and defrost at room temperature. Once defrosted, pop it in oven as instructed, until bubbling.

Make ahead: Assemble the whole thing up until baking it. Cover and chill. When ready to bake, pop it in oven as instructed. It may take 5 minutes longer or so as it's come out of the fridge so will take longer to heat up.

Sausages: I have used good-quality plain pork sausages but you can use all sorts of different flavours. You could also use pork mince, make sure you season it well and get it nice and brown and crispy.

Pasta: you can use pretty much any pasta you have in your store cupboards. I feel small dried pasta works best - fusilli and penne are both good choices.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/sausage-pasta-bake/