Ingredients
3 cups uncooked ziti or other small tube pasta1/2 pound Italian sausage links1/4 cup butter, cubed1/4 cup all-purpose flour1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon pepper, divided2 cups 2% milk1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten2 cups 4% cottage cheese1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheesePaprika
Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350°. Drain; place in a large bowl. In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and cut into 1/2-in. slices.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour over pasta; toss to coat.
In a small bowl, combine the egg, cottage cheese, parsley, and remaining Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Top with cottage cheese mixture. Add sausage to the remaining pasta mixture; spoon over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and paprika.
Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 30-35 minutes.
