Pasta and cheese is our family's favourite comfort food. How can you go wrong? Orecchiette ('little ears') is our preferred pastsa with this dish; however, you can always substitute your favourite.
Portion size8 servings
Credits :Alexandra Rathgeber
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Lightly oil a shallow 3 litre baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and sausage meat. Sprinkle pepper and salt over all and mix until combined. In a large Dutch oven, or saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the meat mixture and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until it loses its pink colour - approximately 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until vegetables are softened- an additional five minutes. Lower the heat and add the tomato paste to the mixture and stir to combine. Cook gently over low heat until thickened and somewhat carmelized - approximately 15 minutes. While mixture is cooking, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until just barely al dente (8-10 minutes). Do not overcook. Drain well. Add the tomatoes and spinach to the saute pan. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Adjust the seasonings, adding the chili flakes/paste if more heat is needed. In a large bowl toss the pasta with the sauce. Fold in the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Spread in the prepared baking dish. Bake until the mixture is bubbly, approximately 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Prep time: 35 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes
