As well as being inexpensive and easy to make, pasta is actually low in fat. It typically tends to be what we combine it with (and how much we consume) that gets us into trouble! But if you are still worried about carbohydrates, you can always opt for low-carb or whole wheat pasta. Instead of substituting the pasta, we avoided calorie pitfalls by adding lots of zucchini and using naturally lower fat cheeses, such as feta. The addition of hot Italian turkey sausage and red pepper flakes adds just the right amount of heat to keep your taste buds happy. Pair this dish with your favorite salad to make a quick and satisfying meal any night of the week.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　Cooking spray

　　1/2 (16-ounce) box dried ziti

　　8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

　　1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

　　5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)

　　2 cups sliced onions (2 large onions)

　　3 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

　　1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

　　1/4 cup dry white wine

　　1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

　　2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

　　2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 6 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Add the sausage to the pan and cook, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, until thoroughly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.

　　

Step 4

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, set over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Add the zucchini, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the zucchini begins to brown.

　　

Step 5

In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, wine, and flour. Add the broth mixture to the pan with the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Combine the vegetable mixture, pasta, sausage, and feta cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

　　

notes

Step 6

Great for freezing! See our Freezer Tips on pages 23–27.

　　

Step 7

For quickly slicing zucchini, we love using our hand-held mandoline. Just be extra careful not to move too fast—that blade is sharp!

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.