Baked Mostaccioli

I made this last week using the pasta sauce recipe previously posted. YUM. I love pasta.

Ingredients needed, in addition to pasta sauce:

1 # box of Mostaccioli pasta [or Penne]
16 oz Ricotta [your choice of whole or low fat]
1 1/2 C of Shredded Italian blend or Mozzarella
1 1/2 C of Shredded Cheddar [I used Sharp]

Cook your pasta sauce. I cooked mine 3 hours.

Note: reserve 1 cup of sauce for topping.

Cook your pasta al dente and drain into a large bowl.

To the pasta:
Crumble in Ricotta. [or scoop out small spoon portions - helps distribute evenly]
Add 1/2 cup of each shredded cheese.
Add pasta sauce [remember to reserve 1 cup]

Pour into baking dish [dishes].
Top with remaining sauce.
Top with remaining shredded cheeses.

If baking immediately bake at 350* for 1 hour.
If refrigerated, let sit at room temp 30 minutes and bake until hot & bubbly.
If frozen, thaw and bake until hot & bubbly.

Pasta Sauce

I'm making baked mostaccioli today. No pics cause it's not ready yet. Here is my basic pasta sauce recipe. I use ground beef or italian sausage depending on what dish I am making. I also tweak it for shrimp and grits. The house smells yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 # of beef or italian sausage
• 1/2 vidalia [or yellow] onion, diced
• 2 TBS minced garlic [jar]
• 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1 regular can of diced tomatoes [no salt]
• 2 TBS basil [dried]
• 2 TBS oregano [dried]
• 1/2 TSP black pepper
• 1 TSP onion powder
• 3 TBS sugar
• 2 TBS tomato paste

Cook the beef [or sausage] with the onion and garlic.
Drain fat.
Add the tomatoes, paste and spices.
Simmer on low for an hour or two.

Canned tomatoes may differ in acidity, adjust sugar to taste.
Dried spices differ by brand and age, adjust to taste.