Baked Ziti and Sausage Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups uncooked ziti or other small tube pasta
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage links
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups (16 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parley
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Paprika

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; place in a bowl. In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and cut into 1/2-in. slices.
• In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour over pasta; toss to coat.
• In a bowl, combine the egg, cottage cheese, parsley, and remaining Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Top with cottage cheese mixture. Add sausage to the remaining pasta mixture; spoon over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and paprika.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Yield: 6 servings.

Baked Ziti and Sausage published in Casserole Cookbook , p84