Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce Casserole

1. Adjust oven rack to the upper-middle position and turn the broiler on the high setting.

2. Cut the tops off the red peppers, remove seeds and cut peppers in half (discard seeds and stem). Place peppers skin side up on a foiled lined rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and place under the broiler. Broil until skins are black and blistered, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Put roasted red peppers into a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Seal the bag and throw them into the freezer to chill quickly, for about 15 minutes. When peppers are cool enough to handle, remove bag from freezer. Remove them from the bag and peel off the charred skin. Puree peppers in a food processor or blender until smooth and then set aside.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 450 F.

4. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it into small bits using a spoon. When sausage is nearly done cooking, add onions and garlic and reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to soften and get translucent, about 5 minutes.

5. While sausage and onions are cooking, start to make the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook rotini as per box directions for al dente. When done, drain it and set aside.

6. Once vegetables have softened, add tomatoes, heavy cream, half-and-half, and reserved pepper puree to sausage mixture. Raise heat slightly and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Add ricotta, Italian cheese blend and the drained cooked pasta. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt.

7. Transfer pasta to a 9- by 13-inch baking pan or casserole dish with high sides. Dot the top with butter and place in oven to cook until brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving with additional shredded cheese.