Lunch: Baked Pasta With Merguez and Harissa-Spiked Sauce

Recipe by Chris Morocco We stole your nonna's ziti and took it on a self-discovery tour of Middle Eastern flavors. Sorry—it doesn't want to come home.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces merguez sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon harissa paste
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
8 ounces lumaconi or other medium shells
3 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Grind caraway and cumin in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle; set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook sausage until browned all over but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice into 1" pieces.
Add onion to same skillet and cook, stirring often, until soft, 6 –8 minutes. Add garlic and reserved spices. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing, and juices, then harissa. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, 6 –8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente (about 3 minutes less than package directions; it will be firm in the center). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
Add sausage, pasta, and cooking liquid to skillet; toss to coat. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish, top with feta, and bake until top is browned and juices are bubbling, 18 –22 minutes.

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