I’m really loving this baked penne pasta. I tweaked an Ina Garten recipe I found on Food Network and it’s soooooo good! My family is not crazy about parmesan cheese or yogurt, which is in the original recipe. So, I reduced the amount of parmesan and used ricotta, instead. I also added shredded mozzarella cheese, because we love cheese!!! My granddaughter loves this stuff and asks for it all the time! Oh, and for your reference I included the link to the original recipe. Enjoy!
Notes
Here is the link to the original recipe from Ina Garten:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pastitsio-recipe-1949975
Ingredients
- Tomato Meat Sauce:
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 lbs ground beef, extra lean
- 1/2 cup good red wine
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- Dash cinnamon & cayenne
- 2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in purée
- S and P to taste
- Bechamel:
- 1 1/2 cups low fat milk (I use 1%)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 TbS butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- Dash nutmeg
- S and P to taste
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2/3 cup low fat ricotta
- 4 cups grated mozzarella (I used Tillamook mozzarella shredded farm style cut cheese - it’s the best pre shredded cheese I have found)
- 1 16oz box of penne pasta (I use Barilla)
Instructions
- For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the beef and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is cooked through. Add the wine, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, cayenne, Italian herb seasoning, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- For the bechamel, heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, and allow to cool. Stir in the eggs and ricotta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don't over-cook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.
- Add the pasta to the meat and tomato sauce, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. Spread the bechamel evenly to cover the pasta and cheese. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.
