It’s that time of year again…SUPERBOWL SUNDAY! Since our beloved Cowboys are not in it (surprise, surprise…) we will mostly be watching for the commercials. BUT there is still an element of excitement surrounding that night whether your team is in it or not.

All weekend you see people at the store buying the staples: salsa, chips, beer, burgers, slabs of meat to smoke. The smells from all of the different foods are amazing and everyone is in the spirit.

T normally cooks Chili for the big game, but this year wanted to try something a little different. She found a great recipe for Pepperoni Pizza combined with…wait for it… PASTA! WHAT AN AMAZING COMBINATION. The original inventor of this mashup is genius. T would love to give credit to the original inventor but she has no clue where the recipe came from. Regardless, this recipe is actually an adaptation making it a little spicier.

Even with its spiciness, the pasta also has an element of “comfort food” style too it. That makes this an extra good recipe for this year. Do we have any This Is Us fans? If so the big episode premiere’s on NBC right after the Superbowl (BE SURE TO RECORD EXTRA TIME because it always runs late) Wouldn’t want you to miss the big reveal of Jack’s fate. You will find T on her sofa eating her comfort pasta and bawling. #Jackforever

But back to the food. Perhaps the best part about this recipe is how fast and easy it was, which also makes it a great option for a weeknight family recipe. T made this version a little spicy, you can reduce that by substituting the Arrabbiata* sauce for regular marinara and replacing the spicy italian sausage for mild or medium.

*Arrabbiata sauce is a spicy pasta sauce with a tomato base that can be found along with the other pasta sauces at the store.

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Bake

1 Box of Penne Pasta

1/2 Red onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 lb Spicy Italian sausage

12 slices of large pepperoni

15 oz jar of Arrabbiata sauce

1 C shredded Mozzarella

Basil, chopped

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Boil a pot of salted water and cook the penne. While that is going, use a cast iron skillet (or other oven safe pot) to brown the sausage.

Step 2: Add the green bell pepper, garlic, and red onion and sautee until vegetables are tender. 2-3 minutes

Step 3: Take 8 of the pepperoni and chop them up. Drop them into the skillet with the Arrabbiata sauce. Stir till combined. Let simmer for 5-8 minutes allowing the flavors to mix.

Step 4: When the pasta is done add it into your sauce and until well  combined. Cover with Mozzarella and the remaining pepperoni. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and the pepperoni is crispy.

      

Step 5: Take it out, top with your chopped basil, and enjoy!

You can also use your broiler if you prefer!

Happy Eating!

XOXO T&M