Pasta Bake 'Student's Pocket' with Sausage and Vegetables - photo 1
← Recipes

Pasta Bake 'Student's Pocket' with Sausage and Vegetables

Pikantne Main Dishes Pasta and Risotto Lunches 60 min Easy 10 wyświetleń ~29.47 PLN - (0)
Rate:
(0)
Start Cooking

Description

Pasta Bake 'Student's Pocket' is the essence of inventive, budget-friendly, and filling cooking – perfect for anyone with a limited budget who doesn't want to give up on a delicious homemade meal. This dish is a tribute to student creativity, where simple and inexpensive ingredients like pasta, sausage, and basic vegetables come together in harmony under a blanket of melted, stretchy cheese. Its flavor is deep and pronounced thanks to an aromatic sauce based on tomato paste, with hints of sweet paprika and oregano. Visually, the bake tempts with a golden, crispy cheese crust, from which colorful pieces of pepper and sausage emerge. It can be served as a standalone main dish or alongside a simple salad with vinaigrette. This is the perfect recipe for preparing meals for several days – it also tastes great reheated.

Ingredients (14)

Servings:
6
  • Penne pasta 500 g
  • Silesian sausage 400 g
  • Onion 2 szt.
  • Garlic 3 ząbki
  • Red bell pepper 1.1 szt.
  • Koncentrat pomidorowy 30% 10 łyżek
  • Gouda cheese 200 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Dried oregano 2 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 10 g
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • Sweet paprika powder 2 łyżeczki
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Canned corn 150 g
  • Parsley 0.5 pęczek
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~29.47 PLN (4.91 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

First, prepare all the vegetables. Peel both onions from the outer, dry skins, trim the ends, and chop them into small cubes about 0.5 cm on each side. Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them with a knife or press them through a garlic press. Wash the red pepper, cut it in half, remove the seeds and the white membranes from the inside, and then chop it into cubes about 1 cm on each side.

Ingredients: Onion, Garlic, Red bell pepper
Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board. To avoid crying while chopping onions, you can chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes beforehand. Preparing all the ingredients before starting to cook (known as mise en place) makes the work much easier and faster.
2

Slice the Silesian sausage into half-moons about 0.5 cm thick. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater. If you are using optional corn, open the can and drain it thoroughly in a sieve.

Ingredients: Silesian sausage, Gouda cheese, Canned corn
If the sausage has an inedible casing, remember to remove it before slicing. Do not compact the grated cheese; leave it loose in the bowl to make it easier to evenly sprinkle on the casserole.

Cooking pasta

3

In a large pot (with a capacity of at least 4 liters), bring about 3 liters of water to a boil. When the water starts to boil vigorously, add one teaspoon of salt. Add the penne pasta and stir immediately to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package. It should be 'al dente', meaning slightly firm in the center when bitten. Drain the pasta in a colander, but do not rinse it with cold water.

Ingredients: Penne pasta, Salt
Cooking the pasta 'al dente' is key, as it will continue to cook in the oven. Overcooked pasta will make the casserole mushy. Save about half a cup of the pasta cooking water - it may be useful for thinning the sauce.

Preparing the sauce

4

In a large, deep skillet or a wide pot, heat 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes soft and translucent. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute, until it releases its aroma. Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it will become bitter.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Onion, Garlic
The best choice is a pan with a diameter of at least 28 cm. Use a wooden or silicone spatula for stirring to avoid scratching the surface. Keep an eye on the garlic - it cooks very quickly!
5

Add the sliced sausage to the pan. Increase the heat slightly and fry for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is nicely browned on all sides. Then add the sliced bell pepper and fry everything together for another 5 minutes, until the pepper is slightly softened but still remains a bit crunchy.

Ingredients: Silesian sausage, Red bell pepper
Don't rush browning the sausage - this way you'll extract more flavor from it, which will infuse the sauce.
6

Reduce the heat. Add the entire tomato paste, sweet paprika, oregano, the remaining teaspoon of salt, and pepper to the pan. Sauté everything for about a minute, stirring constantly. This step will help to 'open up' the flavor of the paste and spices. Then pour in about 250 ml of hot water (it can be from the kettle) and mix well, scraping up all the tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. The sauce should be quite thick.

Ingredients: Koncentrat pomidorowy 30%, Salt, Ground black pepper, Sweet paprika powder, Dried oregano
Sautéing the tomato paste before adding water deepens its flavor and eliminates the metallic taste. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little more water (e.g., the water saved from cooking the pasta).

Combining and baking

7

Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the prepared sausage and vegetable sauce. Additionally, if using, add the drained corn. Gently but thoroughly mix everything with a large spoon, ensuring the sauce coats every piece of pasta.

Ingredients: Penne pasta, Canned corn
Use a really large bowl to comfortably mix the ingredients without spilling. Stir gently to avoid breaking the pasta.
8

Prepare a baking dish measuring about 20x30 cm. Transfer the entire contents of the bowl into it and smooth the surface with a spoon. Evenly sprinkle the grated cheese on top, making sure it covers the entire casserole.

Ingredients: Gouda cheese
You don't need to grease the dish, as the sauce is moist enough. Evenly distributing the cheese will ensure a delicious, uniform crust across the entire surface.
9

Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. The casserole is ready when the cheese on top is completely melted, starts to bubble appetizingly, and takes on a beautiful golden color. After removing from the oven, let the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes before serving, so it firms up slightly and is easier to slice.

Every oven bakes a little differently, so keep an eye on the casserole towards the end of baking. If the cheese browns too quickly, you can cover the dish with aluminum foil for the last few minutes. Use oven mitts to remove the hot dish!
10

Before serving, if you like, sprinkle the top of the casserole with freshly chopped parsley. This will add freshness and color. Serve hot.

Ingredients: Parsley
Use a sharp knife to chop the herbs so that they don't get crushed - this way they will retain more aroma.

Fun Fact

💡

Pasta casseroles gained immense popularity in Poland during the PRL era as a way to creatively use leftovers and create a hearty meal from easily accessible ingredients. For many generations of students, they became a symbol of resourcefulness and the first culinary experiments in dormitories.

Best for

Codzienny obiad Posiłek na kilka dni (meal prep) Niezobowiązujące spotkanie ze znajomymi Szybka kolacja na ciepło

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the casserole hot, straight from the dish. It tastes great drizzled with ketchup or garlic sauce. A simple salad of iceberg lettuce, tomato, and cucumber with vinaigrette is the perfect side to balance the richness of the main dish.

🥡 Storage

The remaining casserole can be stored in the refrigerator, in a closed container or in a dish covered with foil, for up to 3 days. It is best to reheat it in an oven preheated to 160°C for 15-20 minutes, which will help maintain the crispiness of the cheese. Portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

📸 Ugotowane przez społeczność

Zaloguj się, aby dodać zdjęcie
Dodaj zdjęcie gotowej potrawy

Po zatwierdzeniu przez moderatora otrzymasz 10 punktów doświadczenia.

🍲

Nikt jeszcze nie dodał zdjęcia. Bądź pierwszy!

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment on this recipe!

Add a comment

You might also like

Kremowe Risotto z Dynią Piżmową, Szałwią i Orzechami Laskowymi 60 min

Kremowe Risotto z Dynią Piżmową, Szałwią i...

Lunches
Autumn Tart with Pumpkin, Forest Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese 120 min

Autumn Tart with Pumpkin, Forest Mushrooms...

Main Dishes
Baked Gnocchi with Pumpkin, Sage, and Hazelnuts in a Butter Sauce 75 min

Baked Gnocchi with Pumpkin, Sage, and Haze...

Main dishes
Penne Arrabbiata 25 min

Penne Arrabbiata

Lunches
Creamy pumpkin and chickpea curry in coconut milk 60 min

Creamy pumpkin and chickpea curry in cocon...

Indian Cuisine
Velvety pumpkin and chickpea curry with a hint of coconut and ginger 50 min

Velvety pumpkin and chickpea curry with a ...

Indian Cuisine

Recipe Categories

Main Dishes
Main Dishes in: Christmas Eve Dinner

Main courses are the heart of every meal - hearty, delicious, and full of nutrients. Meats: beef, pork, poultry, and lamb in various versions. Fish and seafood: baked, fried, grilled, and stewed. Vegetarian dishes: tofu, tempeh, legumes as the main protein. Casseroles: pasta, potato, vegetable wi...

See all recipes in this category
Pasta and Risotto
Pasta and Risotto

Pasta and risotto are Italian classics loved by the whole world - creamy, hearty, and delicious. Pasta carbonara, bolognese, puttanesca, arrabiata, and cacio e pepe - sauces with tradition. Fresh homemade pasta: tagliatelle, fettuccine, and ravioli with handmade dough. Meat and vegetarian lasagna...

See all recipes in this category
Lunches
Lunches

Lunches are the main meal of the day - filling, balanced, and full of flavor. Traditional two-course lunches: soup and a main dish in Polish tradition. Pork chop with potatoes and cabbage - a classic of Polish lunches. Dumplings with meat, cheese, and fruit - hand-formed delicacies. Beef goulash,...

See all recipes in this category
European cuisine
European cuisine

European cuisine is a mosaic of culinary traditions from the Old Continent - from Spain to Scandinavia. Valencian paella and tapas from Spain - sunshine on a plate. Boeuf bourguignon and ratatouille from France - elegance and finesse. Wiener schnitzel and strudel from Austria - Central European c...

See all recipes in this category
Reklama