Pasta, Meat and Cheese Casserole (Mostaccioli)
This mostaccioli casserole layers a spiced beef and sausage sauce around a creamy ricotta filling. Mixing Italian sausage into the ground beef gives the sauce fennel and seasoning without extra work, and a little chili powder and red pepper add gentle heat. The egg in the ricotta sets as it bakes, so the middle slices cleanly instead of running. It makes a sturdy dinner for four from one skillet and one dish.
Instructions
Boil the mostaccioli in salted water until it is al dente, meaning tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Drain it and set it aside.
Put the ground beef, sausage meat, onion, green pepper and garlic in a skillet. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until it is browned, then pour off the fat.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil, chili powder, red pepper, salt, oregano, sugar and black pepper to the meat. Bring the sauce to a boil, then turn the heat down.
Cover the skillet and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together.
Mix the egg with the ricotta and Parmesan in a small bowl. Stir the cooked pasta into the meat sauce.
Spoon half of the pasta and sauce into a buttered 1-quart baking dish. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over it, then top with the remaining pasta and sauce.
Cover the dish and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until it is hot and cooked through.
Make it personal.
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