Paprika and red pepper pasta casserole

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 1 ¼ hours

Makes: 8 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium (8 ounces) onion, chopped

1 small bulb fresh fennel (8 ounces), thinly sliced, then chopped

2 red bell peppers (total 12 ounces), cored, seeded, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup (1 ounce) sweet Hungarian paprika

1 ½ teaspoons sweet or hot smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

1 can (14-15 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14-15 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

½ cup pilsner-style beer

¼ ounce dried mushrooms, such as sliced porcini, about ¼ cup loosely packed

2 cups water

Salt

1 box (16 ounces) rigatoni pasta ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add 3 tablespoons oil, 1 medium chopped onion and 1 small bulb of sliced fennel. Saute until onion is tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in 2 chopped bell peppers and saute 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3. Stir in ¼ cup sweet Hungarian paprika and 1 ½ teaspoons sweet or hot smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, then tomatoes with their juices, ½ cup beer, ¼ ounce dried mushrooms, 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer uncovered, stirring often, 20-30 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Use warm.

4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Heat a large kettle of salted water to a boil. Cook 16 ounces rigatoni until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

5. Put warm pasta into the prepared dish. Top with the warm sauce and half of the 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir to distribute sauce evenly. Bake until piping hot, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix ½ cup breadcrumbs and 2 more tablespoons parsley. Sprinkle crumb mixture and 2 cups cheese over the pasta and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.