Two Layer Baked Pasta Recipes

LAYERED RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package except omit salt; keep warm.
• Spray 3-quart saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onions to saucepan; cook and stir 1 minute. Add butter and flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in ricotta cheese and spinach.
• In separate 3-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes to oil, crushing tomatoes with spoon. Stir in basil, salt and pepper; cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to simmer and basil wilts. Remove from heat; discard basil.
• Over bottom of baking dish, spread half of the tomato sauce (1 1/4 cups). Arrange half of the pasta, 7 rows lengthwise by 9 or 10 rows widthwise, over tomato sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture (2 cups) over pasta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

TWO LAYER BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• RED SAUCE: Cook ground beef in a large skillet, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
• Drain off fat.
• Add next 7 ingredients& cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes& paste, bring to a boil, then reduce heat& simmer until a spoon scraped across the bottom of the pan leaves a gap that fills in slowly.
• This should take about 30 minutes.
• WHITE SAUCE: Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan.
• Whisk in flour& cook, whisking constantly, for a minute.
• Gradually add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly; continue cooking& whisking until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in cheese& seasonings.
• PASTA: Cook in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 8- 10 minutes or according to package directions.
• Coarsely chop spinach, add to the pot& give it a stir.
• Drain well.
• ASSEMBLY: Arrange half of the pasta mixture in a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
• Spoon red sauce over top; sprinkle with artichoke hearts.
• Top with remainder of pasta mixture.
• Spoon white sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake in preheated 375F oven until bubbly& golden, about 25 minutes.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• If made in advance& frozen, thaw in refrigerator& add 10 minutes to cooking time.

LAYERED PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.
• Toss pasta with oil; spoon into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish; set aside.
• In a skillet over med-high heat, cook the beef, onion, and garlic for 5-6 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble beef; drain and return to skillet.
• Add wine, spaghetti sauce, and next 3 ingredients to skillet; bring to a boil.
• Decrease heat and simmer 10 minutes; stir in ¼ teaspoon pepper.
• In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, and eggs; spoon mixture over the pasta.
• Spread beef mixture over the top.
• Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup parmesan and ½ cup mozzarella; top with bread crumbs.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

LAYERED PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese spread, milk, 3/4 cup mozzarella and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan in medium bowl.
• Brown meat and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Stir in pasta sauce and oregano. Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture. Spoon 1/3 meat sauce onto bottom of 8-inch square baking dish; top with half the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 45 min. or until heated through, removing foil after 30 min. Let stand 5 min. before serving.