As mentioned this is a great go-to dish when making meals for someone. I often double it, or just freeze half so I have a meal for another day...Marianne made this for me after I had Raleigh, she was given the recipe by Natalie Paul. This is my version, I believe Natalie makes her own marinara so the original is a bit different.
PASTA AL FORNO
1 jar of your fav. marinara (I use Newman's Own Marinara)
1 box penne pasta
1/2 lb ground beef
fresh mozzarella
White sauce:
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 1/4 c milk
pinch nutmeg
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
Start water boiling for penne, then make white sauce in separate pan: Melt butter. Then add milk, and flour. Whisk constantly until boiling. Once boiling turn temp. down to simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally. Let cool 10 min.
Cook penne and drain. Brown meat and drain, then mix in marinara sauce w/ meat.
In a 9X13 casserole dish layer penne, white sauce, a couple handfuls mozzarella, then marinara/meat and mix all together. Top with mozzarella (I always put a little shredded parmesan on top too!) and cook uncovered 25 min @ 350 or until a bit crispy on top and heated all the way through.
2 comments:
If I have time I brown the meat with spices and add the sauce a few hours prior to cooking the pasta and making the rest of the dish. It gives the dish LOTS of yummy flavor. I also really like to use rigatoni noodles. I made this for Valentines and we hadn't had is a LONG time...it hit the spot. :)
What spices do you use Marianne?
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