Well the cold has once again returned to central Texas and when that happens I start craving hearty, warm and cheesy dishes for dinner. My quest for healthy low fat meals got temporarily set aside last night when I made this fabulous dish.
Who doesn’t love cheesy, beefy, pasta-y yumminess? But I get so BORED with the usual jar of marinara sauce tossed in with noodles and covered with cheese. Sure, it can be tasty but it is so … well… pedestrian. The following recipe is for a layered pasta dish that, while it does have a few steps to it, is well worth the effort. It is less about masking everything in ubiquitous tomato sauce and more about layering flavors. The result is a casserole that heats great, eats great and freezes great. Oh, it also makes a good size dish so be prepared to freeze some for another time.
Layered Pasta Casserole
2 lbs very lean ground beef
1 lb penne pasta (cooked according to package directions, then cooled and set aside)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 small cans tomato paste (4.5oz cans)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
2 cups bechamel sauce, recipe follows
1. Cook your pasta, run cold water over it and set it aside to drain.
2. Brown the beef in a skillet over medium high heat. When about halfway cooked, add the onion, garlic and green peppers. Continue to brown the beef until it is cooked through. Turn off the heat.
3. Add the two cans of tomato paste and combine well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Put the beef and tomato mixture into the bottom of a deep, oven safe casserole dish. On top of the beef layer add your noodles. All the noodles may not fit. Use your best judgment.
5. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top of the noodles in an even layer. Add all of it. Then top with the cheese.
6. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 375 or until hot and bubbly.
Bechamel Sauce
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
salt and pepper to taste
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Turn off the heat. Add the flour and using a whisk stir until combined. Turn the heat back on to medium and cook the paste until it starts to bubble around the edges and starts smelling nutty. Do NOT let it brown. This takes just a few minutes.
2. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the hot milk in a slow stream, while whisking. Once all the milk is in turn the heat back to medium and continue whisking until thick and bubbly. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes while stirring.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
