Baked Spaghetti

Here's another pasta dish that I've gotten a few recipe requests for. The basis for this recipe was passed to me from family members - thank you :). I didn't get exact measurements for this one so started this dish the old fashioned way - throw things in until it tastes, smells, and looks right. It comes out well and is usually a crowd pleaser. This dish has the same "yum effect" as lasagna, but goes together with quite a few less steps.

I know making your own spaghetti sauce isn't always practical when you are trying to fix a quick dinner. I've included jarred sauce in this recipe (sorry Pops and Grandma!). I will also include the sauce recipe below for those of you that wish to make it from scratch for this dish.


Ingredients:

• 1 - 16oz Box of Pasta (I suggest Rigatoni, Penne, or Angel Hair)
• 1 - Jar Barilla Spaghetti Sauce (I buy the garlic and mushroom kind - it's always a crowd pleaser).
• 1 - Small Container of Ricotta (Use reduced fat if you so desire - I'm guessing no one will notice).
  
• 8oz - Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• A handful of Parmesan (or Romano is better if you have it!)
• A few pinches of dried basil (sprinkle it throughout the ricotta)
• 1 Egg or 3T of Mayonnaise (***see explanation below)
  

Directions:

• Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cheeses (ricotta, Parm/Romano, and mozzarella).
• Add, to the cheese mixture, your basil and egg or mayo
  
• Layer your ingredients like a lasagna. I just poured sauce in the the dish to cover the bottom. I didn't make a lake out of it, but just a decent amount. Sauce first, then pasta, cheese - repeat to top. I only had room to go sauce, pasta, cheese, sauce. Then I think I sprinkled some Parmesan cheese on top of the sauce.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, covered and then another 5 minutes uncovered.

Sauce:

Ingredients

• 2 - 15oz Cans of Tomato Sauce
• 1 - 6 or 8oz Can of Tomato Paste
• 2 - Paste Cans of Water
• Minced Garlic (About 1 Tablespoon or 2 Cloves)
• A few sprinkles of dried basil (just enough so that you can smell it in the sauce).
  
• Salt, Pepper and Basil to Taste
• Romano or Parmesan Cheese (about a handful)
  
• Fresh Mushrooms [[optional]]
  
• Onions (Slivered) [[optional]]
• 1/4 Cup - White Sugar
• 1-2lbs - Ground Beef/Chuck
  

Directions:

• Brown Ground Beef/Chuck
• While Beef/Chuck is browning, slice the onion (I slice it in really thin slices straight down (so you have a circle of onion after you've sliced it...then slice the circles in half so your slices look like C's). When the beef/chuck is brown or almost brown, throw in the mushrooms and onions. Continue browning the meat until the onions are see-through.
• Drain and rinse all then return to pan
• Add sauce, paste and water - stir
• Add all salt, pepper, garlic, basil, sugar - stir
• Cook on high until sauce mixture boils
• Once boiling, turn sauce down to simmer (or low) and let cook about half an hour.

*** About the Mayonnaise...I know you guys are wondering (or gagging...). Once upon a time I was making lasagna and found myself out of eggs after I'd already started making the recipe. I looked everywhere to find suitable substitues for eggs. I found one source saying that I could sub 3T of Mayonnaise for each egg needed in the recipe. That's all I needed, just one person who claimed that it would work. I did it, and no one noticed. In fact, on this occassion, my husband continuously told me how much he loved the lasagna. I also sent some home with one of our friends and he awarded it it, "best lasagna ever". I've been using Mayonnaise in my lasagna ever since. If you can't get past the idea - just use an egg. No big deal. :)

This recipe goes really well with a toasty, buttery loaf of garlic bread and (make your own garlic butter with: softened butter, garlic, Romano/Parm, dried parsley, and basil). :)