An Italian American classic with a fun Asian twist is the comfort dish you need! Tender ziti pasta, Italian sausage, and a spicy cheesy tomato sauce is made and topped with Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Farmstyle Shreds that makes for a bold, comforting dish that your family will love!
Heat a large deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat, then add the olive oil followed by the Italian sausage, breaking the sauce into smaller chunks. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes then use a spoon to drain the sausage to a bowl leaving 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan.
Add the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are translucent but not browned.
Add the gochujang, gochugaru, basil and oregano to the vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up and fond from the bottom of the pot.
Add the crushed tomatoes and season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Add the reserved sausage Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes over medium low heat.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot filled with 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of kosher salt and cook the ziti noodles 4 minutes shorter than the package directions (for me this was 6 minutes of cooking time). Drain and add the pasta back into the pot.
To the sauce, add the cream and half of the sharp cheddar, mozzarella shreds. Mix until combined. Carefully add the sauce to the pot of pasta and stir to mix.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add half of the pasta mixture followed by half of the remaining cheese (8 ounces). Layer on the remaining pasta mixture, then top with the remaining cheese. Place in the middle oven rack and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!
Tip: It’s important to undercook the pasta so that the pasta is not overcooked by the time the dish comes out of the oven. 4 minutes less than the package directions has worked out perfectly for me!
Tip: You can easily make this dish in advance by assembling the pasta bake then covering in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in advance. To bake, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
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Meet the chef
CJ Eats
Chris Joe is a third generation Chinese-American and self-taught home cook who inherited his passion for cooking and eating from his grandfather. With a focus on easy and approachable recipes for the everyday home cook, CJ left his full-time job in 2021 to share his favorite Asian inspired dishes and recipes with his audience. His friendly demeanor and simple approach in the kitchen has led him to amass an audience of over 1.6 million followers across Tik Tok and Instagram.
