David loves artichokes so I am always on the look out for a good recipe. This is a delicious and easy meal that you are sure to enjoy. Add a salad and bread and you have a complete dinner. Here is how I make it.
Cook 1 pound of rigatoni according to the package directions except 2 minutes less than recommended; the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
Remove the castings from 3 Italian sausage links (hot or mild) and sauté in a large skillet breaking the links into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon. When almost cooked, stir in 5 ounces of fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together 8 ounces of room-temperature softened cream cheese, ½ cup of sour cream, ½ cup of freshly grated parmesan, 2 cloves of finely minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 5 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese. (I use an 8-ounce ball of mozzarella and pop it into the freezer for 10 minutes, so it is easier to grate.) Fold in the sausage mixture, 20 ounces of artichoke hearts cut into bite-sized pieces (I use frozen that are completely thawed and drained) and the pasta. Stir everything together adding pasta water just until it is creamy; not too much – you do not want it watery. Taste for salt and pepper then pour into a 9 x 13 greased casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining 3 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese on top. Pop into a pre-heated 350-degree oven and cook for 25 minutes. Run under the broiler for about 2 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
I love the variety of flavor profiles in this casserole: artichokes, spinach, Italian sausage. And the pasta and cheeses make this a wonderful meal to serve. Enjoy!