In high school, I almost always opted to have my family birthday dinners at Biaggi’s. We also had scholarship, college acceptance, and graduation celebration dinners there. If I remember correctly, my group of friends and I even had dinner there before the sophomore Sweethearts’ Dance.
On every visit, I ordered the same dish. Every time, I would peruse the menu for something new, but my attention was always brought back to the Rigatoni Alla Toscana. Nothing ever sounded as good as the rigatoni topped with tomato sauce, sausage, peppers, onions and goat cheese. Other than the foccacia bread with olive oil, salt and pepper that we ate while waiting for our dishes, of course.
I haven’t been to Biaggi’s in years. But when I was home alone earlier this week, I couldn’t stop thinking about that Rigatoni Alla Toscana. So I decided to make my own.
Sausage and Goat Cheese Rigatoni
The goat cheese melts into the warm pasta, sausage and caramelized vegetables. I chose to use a garlic chicken sausage, but any sausage will work. If you don’t have any bell peppers on hand, broccoli chopped into bite-sized pieces would also be delicious.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large green bell peppers, sliced
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 sausages of your choice
1 pound regular or mini rigatoni noodles
4 ounces creamy goat cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Warm the olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the peppers and onions and toss to coat with the oil. Cover and allow to cook over low for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables. Uncover and cook, stirring often, until the peppers and onions are soft, brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Remove the peppers and onion from the pan. Add the sausage and wine to the pan and cook, scraping with a wooden spoon to free any bits of onion or pepper that are stuck on the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook on low, turning the sausage occasionally, until it is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
Toss the sausage with the peppers and onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Top each bowl or plate of pasta with the sausage and peppers, and finish each with a tablespoon or two of goat cheese.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum!! I really love the look and sound of this! Great recipe
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes recently posted..Mute Monday
Oh my, that look like heaven in a bowl!
The Mrs @Success Along the Weigh recently posted..The thin line of visible and invisible
Biaggi’s was our go-to celebration restaurant as well after they opened in Madison. In fact, my husband and I had our rehearsal dinner there. We had a wine-themed wedding, so we loved the private room that had all the wine stored in it
Karis’ Kitchen recently posted..Thanksgiving Cooking Class: Appetizers
Funny enough, I don’t know if I ever went to the one in Madison…just the one in Minnesota. But I imagine it would be a great place for a rehearsal dinner!
There was this little pizzeria/pasta joint next to my soccer practice field in high school and we would go there afterwards more times than I can remember. I got a dish called Farfalle alla Daniella which was almost the exact same thing except obvsiuoly with farfalle and it had peas. So good
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen recently posted..Creamy broccoli soup with crispy shallots
Mmm peas instead of peppers would make a great spring version of this!
I love Biaggi’s & that looks delicious! My favorite there is the rigatoni alla bolognese.
i’ve never heard of that restaurant, so i guess i’ll have to make this dish at home
I might be wrong, but I think it is largely a midwestern restaurant?
YUM. This pasta sounds great – I love simple pastas like this one that are soooo good!
I think there was/is a Biaggi’s in Madison (West Side) that I went to many, many years ago…
emily (a nutritionist eats) recently posted..ask the nutritionist: favorite protein sources
There is on in Madison. We always went to the one in Eden Prairie though
Oh yum. I want this right now.
Carly D. @ CarlyBananas recently posted..Making a Splash
I have a few bell peppers from my garden still, so this would be a great way to use them! Thanks for what looks like a delicious weeknight dinner.
KellyK recently posted..Contemplate the Perfect Change
Nomnomnom!
love goat cheese in my pasta! i’ll have to give this one a try.
mary lynne recently posted..The {Off} Day
YUM! Can’t wait to try this one!