Baked Pasta
EASY BAKED PASTA FOR FALL
Need a quick and easy supper? How about lunch for family and friends? Or for the kids in the family playing sports and eating on the run! Whether planned or impromptu, this baked pasta is an easy, do-ahead buffet dish great for the cool autumn weather approaching.
My family loves this version, because it's so versatile. Assemble it one day, bake it the next. And if someone's late to dinner, you can microwave it, too.
If you're vegetarian, use the soy "sausage" or turkey sausage. Lean ground beef can be substituted, as well. Or leave the meat out altogether.
For an Italian flair, use Italian sausage or add a teaspoon Italian seasonings to the sausage as it cooks.
I like the creaminess the Ricotta gives, but you can leave it out. A crisp salad of hearty greens and garlic bread is all you need to round out this dish.
Feel free to divide this recipe in half or even double it.
Easy Baked Pasta
1/2 to 1 pound Italian or sausage of your choice, sauteed and drained
1 pound Penne, Rigatoni, macaroni or other short pasta shapes, cooked
3-4 cups favorite jarred pasta sauce
1 cup Parmesan cheese or 3 cups shredded Mozzarella plus Parmesan for sprinkling on top
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:
Stir in with the sauce a couple handfuls of torn fresh spinach or 1 can Cannelini beans, drained. If using the beans, add them after you spread the Ricotta in the dish.
Note: The baked pasta recipe as given originally fits pretty well into a 9 x 13 pan but if you add the optional ingredients, you may have to use a bigger pan.
Cremini or button mushrooms add nutrients and flavor, too. Did you know mushrooms are a healthy food?
Five average sized mushrooms supply abotu 25% of an adult's copper needs. Believed to have anti-cancer properties, mushrooms may boost the immune system by stimulating white blood cells. Some mushrooms lower cholesterol, as well.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish. Spread Ricotta evenly on bottom. Sprinkle with sausage. Pour pasta over sausauge. Pour sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese. Make a tent of foil and cover. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven until heated through, about 30-40 minutes. May be cooked in microwave on medium high power about 20 minutes, covered, or until heated through. Don't add the mozzarella if cooking in the microwave until the last 10 minutes or so. Serves 8-10.
Enjoy this easy baked pasta.
©2006-2010 Rita Heikenfeld and AboutEating.com
