• Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Halve bell pepper; remove stem and seeds. Peel garlic. Thinly slice chili. Remove sausage* from casing; discard casing. No need to remove casing from chicken sausage—there is none!

• Drizzle each bell pepper half with oil and season with salt and pepper; place cut sides down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. • Place whole garlic clove in the center of a small piece of foil. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Cinch into a packet and place on same sheet. • Roast on middle rack until pepper is lightly charred and garlic is softened, 20-25 minutes.

• Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.

• While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium- high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. (TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.) If desired, stir in a pinch of chili; cook until fragrant, 15 seconds. • Add tomato paste and 1⁄2 cup reserved pasta cooking water (3⁄4 cup for 4 servings; ladle straight from the pot if pasta isn’t finished cooking yet). Simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes more. Turn off heat. Swap in chicken sausage for pork sausage.

• Carefully transfer roasted bell pepper and garlic to a cutting board. Thinly slice bell pepper into strips; mash garlic with a fork. • Return pan with sausage mixture to low heat; stir in garlic and cream sauce base. • Stir in bell pepper, drained penne, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), and 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings). Season with salt and pepper. TIP: If needed, add more reserved cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in sauce.

• Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and, if desired, a pinch of remaining chili. Serve.