Sink your fork into this! Our Southside Garlic Sausage Baked Penne is rich, robust, and oh so cheesy! We start with our premium pork Garlic Sausage and slow roasted garlic. The addition of a creamy white sauce made with freshly grated cheeses make this recipe a delight for the whole family!
Servings:
4-6 dinner portions
Time Needed:
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 links Southside Garlic Sausage, cut into ½” circles
- 3 whole heads of garlic
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (or use ½ teaspoon dried)
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose four
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup (4 oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Gruyere cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 cups cooked penne pasta (16 oz. uncooked)
- cooking spray
- fresh chopped parsley or basil (for garnish)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F or if using a BBQ grill, heat to 400F with an indirect setup using a mild wood such a pecan for smoke.
Remove loose white skins from garlic heads and cut the top off of each head to expose to top of the garlic bulbs. Toss each head in a light coating of olive oil and wrap each separately in foil. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from foil. Squeeze entire head to extract the roasted garlic. Mash garlic together to form a smooth garlic paste.
While garlic is roasting, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Remove casing from the garlic sausage and slice into circles. Cook sausage in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage from the pan, drain and place in a large bowl for later use.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add flour to the melted butter stirring constantly with a whisk. Once flour is thoroughly mixed with the butter, begin slowly adding the milk and heavy cream. Continue to stir constantly. Stir in roasted garlic, both cheeses, salt and pepper. Mix well until all cheese is melted and then remove from heat.
Add 4 cups of the cheese sauce along with the prepared penne pasta to the cooked sausage reserved in the large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Spray a 13×9 inch baking pan with the cooking spray and pour in the finished pasta sausage mixture. Top with remaining cheese sauce and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve immediately.
Recommended Tools:
Large bowl
13×9” baking dish