Pizzagna

By ccavaletti

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta curls (recommended: campagnelle by
• Barilla; short fusilli or cavatappi twists may be
• substituted)
• Salt
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, cut into thin strips
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 green or red bell pepper, seeded, quartered and
• thinly sliced
• 1 onion, quartered then thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 12 crimini mushrooms (baby portabellos), thinly sliced
• Black pepper
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Loaf of crusty bread

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat broiler.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add pasta and salt the
water.

While the pasta boils, combine ricotta, Parmigiano,
parsley and pepperoni in a large bowl and reserve.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with
extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. When the
oil is hot, add the peppers, onions, garlic and
mushrooms. Saute 6-8 minutes until tender and
mushrooms are dark. Season the vegetables with salt
and pepper. Stir in tomatoes and reduce heat to low.

Add a ladle of starchy cooking water to the ricotta
just before you drain the pasta. Drain pasta then
toss with ricotta and pepperoni mixture. Pour pasta
into a baking dish and top evenly with peppers, onion
and mushroom sauce. Top with a layer of mozzarella,
oregano and red pepper flakes. Place under hot
broiler and melt cheese until golden and bubbly.
Remove and serve with crusty bread.