Pork Sausage Cavatappi Bake

🥘 Ingredients

• black pepper
• butter
  2 tbsp
• cavatappi pasta
  8 oz
• chicken stock concentrate
  1 unit
• flour
  2 tbsp
• garlic powder
  1 tsp
• green bell pepper
  1 piece
• hot sauce
  1 tbsp
• italian pork sausage
  2 links
• milk
  1 c
• olive oil
  3 tbsp
• panko breadcrumbs
  1 c
• pepper jack cheese
  1 c
• salt
• water

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• baking sheet
• 8x8-inch baking dish
• small bowl

1. 

   1

   Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Core, deseed, and thinly slice green bell pepper .

   water, green bell pepper: 1 piece
2. 

   2

   Toss bell pepper on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper . Add italian pork sausage to opposite side of sheet and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Roast on top rack until bell pepper is browned and tender and sausage is cooked through ⏱️ 25 minutes .

   olive oil: 3 tbsp, salt, black pepper, italian pork sausage: 2 links
3. 

   3

   Once water is boiling, add cavatappi pasta to pot. Cook until al dente ⏱️ 9 minutes . Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

   cavatappi pasta: 8 oz
4. 

   4

   Melt butter in pot used for pasta over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and garlic powder and cook, stirring, ⏱️ 1 minute . Slowly whisk in milk , ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water, and chicken stock concentrate until combined. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in pepper jack cheese until melted. Season generously with salt and pepper.

   butter: 2 tbsp, flour: 2 tbsp, garlic powder: 1 tsp, milk: 1 c, chicken stock concentrate: 1 unit, pepper jack cheese: 1 c
5. 

   5

   Once sausage is done, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Transfer to a cutting board and slice on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Add to pot with sauce along with bell pepper and pasta. Stir, adding splashes of reserved pasta cooking water as needed, until creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to an 8x8-inch baking dish .
6. 

   6

   Preheat broiler to high. In a small bowl , combine panko breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle over pasta mixture. Broil on top rack until panko is golden brown ⏱️ 3 minutes . Watch carefully to prevent burning. Drizzle with as much hot sauce as you like and serve.

   panko breadcrumbs: 1 c, hot sauce: 1 tbsp