1 lb Italian sausage (links or ground)
1 lb penne pasta
8 oz ball of fresh, whole-milk mozzarella
1 jar marinara sauce (or homemade)
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cream
3/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start water heating for pasta, add about a teaspoon of salt. While waiting for the water to boil, crumble your sausage into a large pan, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and brown.
Drain sausage and add most of the jar of sauce. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for a few minutes, while you dice the mozzarella.
Cut mozzarella into small chunks. Put them in a bowl and stick them in the freezer.
Add cream to sauce and meat. Let simmer for a few more minutes, then remove from heat. When pasta is almost cooked through (not quite ready!) drain it and return it to the pot, off heat. Pour the meat and sauce mixture over the pasta. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Remove the cheese from the freezer and stir into the pasta. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes