Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Easy Baked Pasta (for 2)


Easy Baked Pasta



My husband doesn't really like pasta.  I know, I know.  Sad, isn't it?  He blames his aversion to this fabulous food staple on his mother feeding him canned ravioli as a kid.  So, I guess you can't really blame him.  He WILL eat spaghetti on occasion; but it's on evenings that he is gone (like tonight he's at class) that I will make pasta for me and my son Ezra, aka My Eating Buddy.  I came up with this little ditty on the fly one night, and Ezra said it was his favorite pasta ever.  I quite liked it myself.  I really got the idea for it from my husband's Aunt Willa, who makes this heart-warming crock pot pizza, which I'll have to post some time as well.  This recipe is so easy, I hadn't really thought to post it, but I have time and light this evening, so here it goes.  
Since I make this for just me and Ezra, it's not a lot.  It's enough for us and for me to have some for lunch the next day.  The recipe is easily doubled

Easy Baked Pasta

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 jar (about 7 oz.) pizza sauce (I use Ragu Traditional Pizza Quick)
  • 2 cups dry mini pasta (I use Barilla Piccolini Mini Farfalle)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
  • salted water for boiling pasta
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brown ground beef in a medium pan.  Drain fat, if necessary.  Pour in pizza sauce.  I add a little water if it seems too thick/dry.  Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large-ish pot of water to a rolling boil.  Add pasta and boil for one minute less than the package directions.  Drain pasta and add to the meaty sauce.  

Pour into a medium sized baking dish.  Top evenly with cheese.  Place in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is just melty.  Don't let it go so long that the cheese browns.  It doesn't taste as good when it goes that far.

Makes about 3 servings.
Baby bow-tie pasta


6 comments:

  1. Pasta is my favorite comfort food. Except I always eat too much of it. Thanks for sharing

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  2. i'd love to make this for my soon to be husband and I, but we both have acid reflux/ulcer issues...can I sub Alfredo sauce and chicken instead of beef and tomato sauce? If so, what spices do I use? It looks delicious, but my stomache's saying no to the tomatoes, lol!

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    Replies
    1. I think it would taste fantastic with an alfredo sauce. I would add broccoli too, if it were me. I would marinate the chicken in my favorite Italian dressing or, I really like the Weber Canadian Chicken seasoning on chicken that I put in pasta dishes. I looked up a relatively simple alfredo recipe at allrecipes.com--
      http://allrecipes.com/recipe/alfredo-sauce/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=alfredo%20sauce&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page
      Or you could buy a jarred white pasta sauce, which I have not done.
      If you go with the allrecipes.com alfredo sauce, I would also add a small minced clove of garlic because I like garlic. After you put the cheese on this, though, it will be super duper rich, but delicious, I'm sure.

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    2. thank you! i'll be trying it out tomorrow...will let you know how it works out with the alfredo :)

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    3. it was delicious with the alfredo! we used Purdue Short-Cuts Italian seasoning chicken and Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo sauce...lots of cheese as we're both cheese lovers. I think next time though, I'll use some portabello mushrooms and will add fresh parmesan cheese. This is gonna be a new family favorite at our house!

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    4. I love it, Anya! Thanks for letting me know it turned out!

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