Red Pepper Pasta Bake

INGREDIENTS:

6 ounces penne pasta1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers1/2 cup grated Parmesan2 teaspoons honey1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more, to tasteKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste3 tablespoons olive oil, divded2 cloves garlic, minced8 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casings removed1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
3. To make the red pepper sauce, combine red peppers, Parmesan, honey and red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks. Stir in pasta and red pepper mixture until well combined.
5. Add pasta to prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella. Place into oven and bake until cheese has melted, about 5-10 minutes.