basics365: Baked Pasta

February 16, 20142 Comments

Cheesy, Easy, Warm, and Inviting — Baked Pasta Dinners

Most baked pasta dishes fall squarely into the “comfort food” category, and as winter drags on it is great to have these warm and filling dishes in your repertoire.  These are classics — and for good reason!  It is hard to resist the aromas floating through the kitchen as the steaming, browned, cheese-bubbling dishes come out of the oven.  Baked pasta dishes meet all of the Table365 time saver criteria:  easy to customize,  make ahead, and double batch (bake one right away, and freeze the other for later).  The usual family favorites, lasagna and macaroni and cheese, are included in this category, but you can expand your meal plan with these two other versatile baked pasta dishes from Katie Workman and Mark Bittman.
Enjoy!

A few cooking tips:

• Always undercook the pasta a little so it can finish cooking once the dish is assembled and in the oven.
• If you like crunchy edges, use a larger baking dish than the size called for in a recipe so there is more surface area to get browned and crispy (you may need to cook it a few minutes less since the dish will be more shallow).

Simple Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Casserole from Katie Workman, The Mom 100 Cookbook.  This is a simple recipe that can easily be adjusted for your tastes.  For variations, try different sauces or cheese combinations.  You can also add ground meat, chicken, sausage, and vegetables (fresh or frozen spinach, peas, chopped asparagus) to the dish.

• 1 package (16 oz) dried pasta, like ziti, penne, cavatelli, or bow ties
• 3 cups tomato sauce or 1 jar (24 to 26 oz) vodka sauce or other pasta sauce
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1.  Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Add salt and let the water return to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook it until almost al dente (follow the package directions, but stop a minute or two before the pasta is completely tender).  Drain the pasta.

3.  Return the pasta to the pot, and add the vodka sauce.  Mix it all up, stir in mozzarella, then spoon the mixture into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle the Parmesan on top, if desired.  Bake the casserole until the top is a bit brown and everything is bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.

Baked Ziti from Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything.  As with the recipe above, you can customize this dish.  Add ricotta, or use a meat sauce instead.  An interesting variation Mark Bittman suggests is to use pitted olives (about 1 cup) instead of mushrooms and bits of goat cheese instead of mozzarella.

• Salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
• 1 pound any mushrooms
• 1 large onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper
• One 28-ounce can plum tomatoes with the juice, chopped
• 1 pound mozzarella, preferably fresh, grated, or chopped
• About ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.  Heat the oven to 400°F.

2.  Put the olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot or the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, release their water, and then begin to dry again, about 5 minutes.  Add the onion, and, if you’re using it, the garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 2 minutes.

3.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down so that the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, while you cook the pasta; don’t let the sauce get too thick.

4.  Cook the pasta in the boiling water until it is just starting to soften but is still too hard to eat.  Drain it (don’t shake the colander; allow some water to cling to the noodles) and toss it with the sauce and about half the mozzarella.  Grease a large baking dish (9×13 inches) and pour or spoon the mixture into it.  Top with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan if you’re using it, and bake until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.

*A healthier, great-tasting option (pictured above) is a Creamy Chicken and Spinach Casserole from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.  It uses whole wheat pasta and a low-fat milk-based sauce that is thickened with a little flour.