Zoe Casselman / The Hofstra Chronicle

As a pasta connoisseur myself, I can admit that there are few simple pleasures in life greater than a bowl of warm, creamy pasta. This dish is easy, simple and extremely filling, so it is the perfect option for a cheap meal at school or home. Whether you’re trying to impress a date, cooking for your friends or making dinner for the family, you just can’t miss with this spicy sausage rigatoni.

You can also customize the ingredients to your liking every step of the way, from the brand of pasta used, the vegetables added or impossible meat for any vegetarians.

This recipe makes four servings, so it’s perfect if you want leftovers!

Ingredients:

4 oz of cream cheese (half of a block)

1 jar of pasta sauce (Rao’s is my favorite, but any will work)

1 package of hot Italian sausage

1 16 oz box of rigatoni noodles

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Bring a pot of water to boil, then cook pasta according to the instructions on the box.

Save 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then strain the noodles.

At the same time, place sausage into a pan coated with olive oil.

Separate sausage into small pieces with a spatula then season generously with salt and pepper.

Stir sausage occasionally, continuing to separate into smaller pieces until fully cooked.

In a separate pot, add jarred pasta sauce and bring to a simmer, adding a splash of olive oil for taste.

Cut cream cheese into blocks and add it to the sauce.

Stir the sauce and cream cheese until fully incorporated, then add the saved pasta water. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Keeping the sauce at a simmer, add the cooked sausage and a handful of parmesan then mix.

Once fully mixed, add the cooked rigatoni.

Stir until the rigatoni noodles are fully coated with the sauce.

Pour into a bowl, sprinkle Parmesan on top and enjoy!