Fusilli Pasta, Sausage and Mozzarella (Fusilli, salsiccia e mozzarella)

The "Fusilli Pasta, Sausage and Mozzarella" is a typical dish from southern Italy, that's why the long fusilli are not very easy to find somewhere else, but you can make it even with the short fusilli pasta.
This recipe was the one that all the family liked the most. So, I used to cook it plenty on Sundays, when the family could enjoy it together, and everyone could eat their fill, and always it was like a party.
During the other days of the week it was hard to me keep everyone happy, because no one in the family had the same tastes, so I alternated the dishes trying to please everybody day by day. But, fortunately I had not that problem on Sundays, when I used to cook it, and everybody loved it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (~500 g) long type fusilli pasta (or the short fusilli pasta if you cannot find the long one);

• 29 oz (~85 cl) 100 % natural tomato puree (no seasonings added);

• 1lb (~500 g) mozzarella;

• 1 lb (~500 g) lean sausage;

• 7 oz (~200 g) grated Parmesan cheese;

• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil;

• 2 cloves of garlic;

• Crushed Italian hot pepper (optional);

• Salt. 

Directions

Prick the sausage with a fork and steam it or boil it in a little water. Allow the fat to melt in order to let it spill out through the skin of the sausage.

Meanwhile, fry over low heat in a pan the two whole cloves of garlic in the extra virgin oil, and the Italian hot pepper if you like. When the garlic will be golden, remove it, and then add the tomato puree and a pinch of salt.

As soon as the tomato puree starts to boil, add the sausage already drained. Let it cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. The tomato sauce will be ready when you can see the bottom of the pot.

Then, remove the sausage from the tomato sauce, and cut into slices. Also dice the mozzarella into small cubes, and add them to the sausage and set aside.

Meanwhile, in another pot, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for the time indicated in the package. Do not forget that it must be "al dente."


Drain the fusilli, and then season them with the tomato sauce. 

Then put half of the fusilli pasta in a baking dish or Pyrex pan, add the sliced sausage and the mozzarella, then the half of the grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover it with the other half of the fusilli, sprinkle it with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese, and bake it until the Parmesan cheese melts (around 750˚ F, ~400˚ C).

Remove from the oven, let it rest while you are setting the table, and serve at will. It will be tastier if you eat the meal in family all together, everyone at the table and without cell phones at hand.