Make Ahead Sausage Bow Tie Pasta

My sister-in-law made this dish for us when we were visiting them about a year ago. It immediately became one of our favorites. The great thing about this make ahead pasta dish is that you can make the sauce the night before, and just add the pasta when you're ready to serve it. Also, my sister-in-law freezes half the sauce to use for a later meal. My family, on the other hand, pretty much eats all of it, and there's just enough for my husband to take for lunch the next day.

The Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, (casing removed) crumbled

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1/2 cup diced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 28 oz can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped (I use 2 cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings, and I like to add a little more Italian seasoning, but it's not necessary.)

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 oz bow tie pasta

3 Tablespoons parsley

Grated Parmesan cheese

At Ten O'Clock

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and pepper flakes. Cook until sausage is no longer pink, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender and sausage is light brown, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly. At this point, you could freeze half for a later meal, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Before Serving

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Re-heat sauce. Add pasta and mix together. Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Family Approval
I served this tonight at my dad's birthday party. It was a perfect dish for a large group of people, and so delicious!

~Jena