Chicken Sausage and Provolone Penne Bake

We couldn't find the sausage they mentioned so we got Roasted Pepper and Garlic. This was a pretty good dish. Reminded us of baked ziti. I think different flavors of tomato paste, canned tomatoes and sausage would vary the taste. But we liked it. Of course we had it with Caesar salad.

Chicken Sausage and Provolone Penne Bake

1 pound uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 (12-ounce) package sweet basil and pine nut chicken sausage (such as Gerhard's), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

Cooking spray

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, sausage, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until sausage is browned. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through diced tomatoes); cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Combine pasta and tomato mixture; spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 453 (30% from fat); FAT 15.3g (sat 6.6g,mono 5.7g,poly 2.1g); PROTEIN 24.4g; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 319mg; SODIUM 954mg; FIBER 4.6g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.3g Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005