Quick Sausage and Tomato Sauce

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook until fragrant and lightly golden.

Remove the garlic cloves from the pot and set aside on a plate.

Add the cheese & parsley sausage and hot sausage links to the pot. Brown on all sides, cooking until about three-quarters of the way through.

While the sausage cooks, pour the whole tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them by hand to your desired consistency.

Once browned, remove the sausages from the pot and set aside.

Mash the reserved cooked garlic cloves with a fork or spatula.

Add the mashed garlic back into the pot with the sausage drippings and stir.

Carefully pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot.

Stir in the fresh chopped basil.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the browned sausages to the pot and add the Pecorino Romano cheese rind.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 25-30 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, cook the penne rigate pasta in a separate pot of boiling salted water according to package directions.

Drain the pasta and serve topped with the sausage and tomato sauce. Garnish with more fresh basil if desired.