Ingredients
olive oil spray
½cuppecorino romano,grated
8ozfat free ricotta
8ozpart skim mozzarella,shredded
14ozsweet Italian chicken sausage,uncooked
12ozrigatoni pasta,wheat or gluten-free
1tspolive oil
2clovesgarlic,smashed, roughly chopped
10ozfrozen spinach,(1 package) chopped, thawed, and squeezed of excess liquid
salt and fresh pepper,to taste
4cups*marinara sauce,(see Recipe Notes for recipe)
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 6 tablespoons of the Pecorino Romano cheese, and ½ of the mozzarella cheese.
Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, brown the sausage breaking up into small bits until cooked through; set aside.
Add the oil to the skillet and sauté garlic for about 1 minute, careful not to burn. Add spinach and season with a little salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute more.
Return the sausage to the skillet and add the marinara sauce; cook on low for about 2 to 3 minutes.
When the pasta water comes to a boil, cook pasta according to instructions for al dente, but undercook them by 4 minutes less. Drain and return to pot.
Put ½ of the cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with ½ of the meat sauce.
Spoon the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce in an even layer.
Cover with the remaining pasta and the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for an additional 6 to 7 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.
Serve and enjoy.
