Red, White & Green Baked Pasta
I love a good baked pasta to feed a crowd. All of the work is upfront and can be done first thing in the morning before the hustle and bustle of the day begins. At dinner time, all you need to do it pop it in the oven and the smell is like a warm blanket wrapped around your frazzled nerves. Even though we are getting a good dose of greens in the pasta, I love it served with a simple arugula salad dressed in a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. It is the perfect pair to the heartiness of the dish.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 bunch of Italian kale or a few handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 teaspoon salt
fresh pepper
a 28 oz. jar or can of crushed tomatoes
1 lb. box of pasta (we like penne or elbow!)
1 cup ricotta
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella or raw cheddar
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Get a pot of water boiling to cook your pasta in. While that boils, heat a wide skillet or pot over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the kale/spinach with a sprinkle of salt. Cook until it’s nice and wilted. Put into a medium sized bowl to cool a bit.
In the same skillet that you took the greens out of, brown your beef. You want to break it into tiny chunks as it browns. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes or so, until you smell the garlic. Add the salt, pepper, seasonings and the jar of crushed tomatoes. Let it simmer for a bit while you cook the pasta.
At this point, you have your sauce simmering and your pasta cooking. Take the bowl you put the greens in and add the ricotta, nutmeg, parmesan and half the grated mozzarella or cheddar. Stir until combined.
Once your pasta is done cooking, strain it from the water and add to the sauce. Stir to coat. In a 9x13 pan, pour a third of the sauced pasta in and dot half the greens and cheese mixture over top. Repeat. Lastly, spread the last third of the pasta on top. Use the reserved 1/2 cup grated cheese to sprinkle on top. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Let it cool for a bit before tucking in!
