KIELBASA AND APPLE PASTA BAKE

Kielbasa and Apple Pasta Bake image

This is especially good to make when apples are in season and at the peak of their flavor, and it features a favorite food pairing: sweet-tart apples with cheddar cheese.

Provided by TasteTester

Categories Pork

Time 1h

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces dried rigatoni pasta or 8 ounces penne pasta
2 cups milk (not fat-free)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
3 medium fuji or jonathan apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (you want a fine-grained apple in order to avoid the apples getting too mushy when cooked)
8 ounces cooked kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium green onion, thinly sliced

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish or casserole with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions in a large saucepan. Drain and return to saucepan; set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan whisk together milk and flour. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Stir 1/2 cup of cheese, salt and hot pepper sauce into the milk mixture until smooth.
In the large saucepan toss together the cooked pasta, apples, kielbasa and cheese sauce. Transfer to prepared baking dish; cover with foil.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and carefully stir pasta mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and the green onion. Bake 10-15 minuted more or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 651.1, Fat 29.6, SaturatedFat 13.1, Cholesterol 120.4, Sodium 1164.1, Carbohydrate 72.2, Fiber 5.4, Sugar 16.3, Protein 25.4