I don’t often make baked pasta dishes but perhaps that will change now that I’ve tried this ooey-gooey-delicious mess. I based this recipe on one I found in Cooking Light for March 2007. Several substitutions and ratio changes later, and we have Baked Penne with Sausage, Kale, & Buttery Crumb Topping. I liked how this turned out in small indivdual serving dishes, plus I used less pasta than the Cooking Light version so it was creamier as a result. Serve with a salad and you have a perfect dinner – and left overs for lunch! Ingredients:

• ~5 slices whole wheat bread (I use Ezekiel sprouted)
• 2 Italian chicken sausages (you could use pancetta or bacon as a substitution)
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 t. minced garlic
• 1 T. chopped fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 3/4 c. milk (I use 2%)
• 4-6 c. chopped kale (or spinach…)
• 1/2 lb. ricotta
• 1/2 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
• 1/4 c. melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Boil penne as directed on package, usually ~ 10-12 minutes for whole wheat.
3. Place bread in food processor and whirl until coarse bread crumbs are created. Set aside.
4. While penne is cooking, sauté crumbled sausage, onions, garlic, and herbs until onion is tender and sausage is cooked.
5. Measure 3/4 c. milk and add flour. Stir until smooth. Add to sausage mixture along with remaining 2 cups milk. Bring to a boil stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer until it thickens, about 2 minutes.
6. Add kale and cook ~1 more minute.
7. Remove from heat and pour into large bowl. Add cheese and salt & pepper to taste. Mix to combine until cheese is melted and incorporated. Add cooked pasta and mix well.
8. Place mixture in individual serving bowls or one large baking dish. Combine bread crumbs with melted butter then sprinkle evenly over pasta.
9. Bake 6-10 minutes until crumbs are browned and pasta looks set.