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Italian Pizza Pasta Bake


I found the idea for this dinner casserole online one evening when I forgot to take out meat for dinner but had some pepperoni.  Since then I have adapted this recipe to include Italian sausage or ground pork and other things we like on our pizza.

3 cups of uncooked bow tie, wagon wheel or other sturdy larger pasta shape

1 pound of ground Italian sausage
1 6-ounce package of pepperoni, cut into quarters, except for 20 slices for topping
1 14-ounce jar of marinara sauce (I like Emeril’s)
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 4-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoons Italian seasonings
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ Tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups Italian blend shredded cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.  In a large pot, boil pasta in lightly salted water.  While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add sausage, onions, and bell pepper.  Cook until sausage is no longer pink and onions and pepper are softened.  All diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, mushrooms, Italian seasonings, sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, and the quarter pepperoni slices.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until pasta is done.  Drain pasta and return to large pot.   Add black olives to sauce and meat mixture.  Pour sauce over pasta; mix.  Add 1 cup of Italian blend cheese and ½ cup of parmesan cheese.  Mix.  Pour into casserole dish.  Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Italian blend cheese on the top and then arrange the whole pepperoni slice on the top of the cheese.  Bake of 40-45 minutes. 

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