Sausage Pasta Cake

Elizabeth

From Maudie and Lang Clay

ingredients

Pasta
3/4 lb spaghettini
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 c. hot chicken stock
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 c grated mild Cheddar Cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
Filling
3/4 lb sausage meat
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp safflower oil
3/4 c coarsely chopped green peppers
1 3/4 c coarsely chopped green onions
1/3 c grated mild Cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper
For Tomato and Sweet Red Pepper Sauce
3 1/2 lb ripe tomatoes
3 medium garlic cloves
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp safflower oil
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
16 fresh tarragon leaves
15 parsley sprigs without stems, finely chopped
1 very large red pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp tomato paste

directions

1
Preheat the oven to 375°. Generously butter a spring-form pan (such as a cheesecake pan) and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Set aside.
2
Put the past in a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook at a rolling boil for 7 minutes. Drain and run cold water over it. Set aside.
3
Put the sausage meat in a cold skillet and brown it slowly, separating it into a crumbly mixture.
4
While that is going on, make a white sauce for the past by melting the butter in a skillet and browning the chopped onion. Then add the flour and mix well. Slowly pour in the heated stock, and continue to simmer for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. Add the white pepper and lemon juice.
5
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, Parmesan, Cheddar cheese, eggs, and salt. Mix well. Set aside fore a few minutes.
6
Remove the browned sausage meat form the skillet and pour out any fat. Wipe out the skillet and add the butter and safflower oil. Saute the green peppers and onions until they are limp and add this to the meat, along with the Cheddar cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Mix well.
7
To assemble the dish, put half the pasta mixture in the pan. Make a deep depression in the middle, leaving a 1/2 inch space around the edges. Heap the meat mixture into the depression, mounding it in the middle. Pat down solidly. Place the rest of the past on top and smooth it over. Top with any leftover bread crumbs and dot with butter.
8
Bake for 35 or 40 minutes, until the top is brown. Let stand for a few minutes before removing the outside ring of the pan. Do not bother to remove the bottom. Serve with Tomato and Sweet Red Pepper Sauce.

1
For Sauce:
2
Dip the tomatoes in hot water for 40 seconds. Skin and seen them. Set aside. Peel the garlic and cut each clove in half. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet and add the garlic. Mashing down on the pieces, saute it until it starts to brown, then remove and discard it. Saute the onions until they are translucent and then add the tomato pulp and tarragon leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the parsley and simmer for another 10 minutes. Puree in food processor (this may be either smooth or coarse) and return it to the pan. Puree the red pepper, add it and the salt, black pepper, and tomato paste to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

1
Elizabeth,
2
Happy new year.
3
Here is our submission. It’s a lot of work just for the 2 of you,but if you have a brunch with a bunch of people it works and you get leftovers. You need this sauce or some tomatoey sauce to go with it.
4
It’s from Lee Bailey’s “Good Parties” (1986 Clarkson Potter).
5
When is Winston’s bday anyway?
6
Best,
7
Lang