These days with a new baby at home, I appreciate meals that can be prepared with my brain on autopilot with a result that is filling and delicious. Easy Bake Pasta is perfect for days when I’m so tired I need something easy and nourishing. This is inspired by my mom’s recipe for baked ziti, a perennial favourite of my childhood. I’ve since made this a regular in our dinner menu rotation. Best of all, you can use any kind of short pasta!
Though I always knew it was easy to prepare, it wasn’t until my first week as a mother to a newborn that I could experience cooking while sleep deprived and I could prepare this even under those conditions so it must be just that straight-forward.
Easy-Bake Pasta
Minced garlic, to taste
1 kg minced beef (optional substitutes: cannellini beans, cooked lentils, or extra cheese)
5 cups Italian-style tomato sauce (make your own or purchase a jar, your choice)
4 cups of favorite pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
Fresh basil leaves
1. Preheat oven to 150C.
2. Sautee garlic then brown/cook beef while stirring to keep the beef mince in small pieces. Once the beef is cooked (or almost there), drain excess fat and liquid from the pan then pour in the tomato sauce. Stir and let cook on medium. Add more minced garlic if that’s your thing.
3. Cook the pasta according to box directions, making sure the result is al dente. Stir cooked pasta and shredded mozzarella with meat sauce then place in oven safe dish (you can also mix it in the same dish).
4. Top with sliced mozzarella and fresh basil leaves (photo is of this stage in the process).
5. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered. The last few minutes, put the broiler/grill on to lightly brown the cheese top. Serve hot.
Here is it about to go into the oven. The beef is fully cooked, but the cheese isn’t melted.
Fresh out of the oven and it is gooey and ready to serve.
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I make my own sauce by roasting toomtas, onions and garlic togather at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Letting it cool them passing it thru a food mill to seperate the skins and seeds from the sauce. Once the sauce has been seperated I add Italian seasoning and sea salt to taste then freeze it in plastic bags. Each bag with enough sauce for one pizza. The roasting brings out the natural flavors of the veggies especially the onions and garlic. This is a very basic sauce and you can add to it to suit your taste and imagination. If anyone wants the specifics on the roasiting process, just ask and I’ll provide it.No Worries G.D. (Golda’s Dad)
Hi Golda’s Dad! Thanks for the cooking advice. Always nice to have another perspective. Looks like minimal dishes the way you do it too. May take you up on your offer to share the roasting process at some point. Do you have a food blog yourself?