- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 500 g (1 pound) ground beef
- 500 g (1 pound) Italian sausage (or more ground beef)
- 798ml can (28 oz.) of diced tomatoes
- 398ml can (14.5 oz.) of tomato sauce or marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 500 g (16 ounces), or about 4 cups of ziti, mostaciolli, or penne rigate
- 500 g (15 oz.) of ricotta cheese
- 650 g (1-1/2 pounds) mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- fresh minced parsley
- Cook the pasta until not quite al dente.
- While it is cooking, heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until starting to soften. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.
- Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
- In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, and egg. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps.)
- Add half of the cheese and pasta mixture to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the meat sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the cheese and pasta, the meat sauce, and the mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle chopped parsley over the pasta before serving!
thepioneerwoman.com
Added on July 4, 2014