Rigatoni w/ Cheese & Italian Sausage, from Luca D'Italia

At Luca this is prepared in individual dishes. For a family-style dinner, double the recipe and prepare it in one large baking dish. Use your favorite marinara recipe or a purchased sauce.

Yield:  Makes 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients
        1/2 pound rigatoni
        1/4 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
        2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
        1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
        1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
        1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
        2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
        1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
        Extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Cook rigatoni in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Cook sausage in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink, stirring frequently and breaking up with back of wooden spoon. Add garlic and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Drain off excess oil and return pot to medium-high heat. Stir in marinara sauce and crushed red pepper, then pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among four 1 1/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over. Place in broiler until cheese melts and begins to brown, watching closely to prevent burning, about 1 1/2 minutes. Sprinkle rigatoni with parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and serve. 

(Simon's note:  Baked pasta is one of the school lunches the kids like best, and we'll make ours meatier and cheesier than the one from Lunch Lady Doris.)