Pasta is a comforting and welcome food at the table. Spaghetti is the most loved pasta of all. It’s easy to have fun with it, but it can also be messy.
This is why I love baking spaghetti. This delicious dish is baked in the oven, then cut like a pie. Instead of long noodles that are difficult to manage, you get these short pieces of spaghetti that have been baked in a sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes.
Making pasta sauces of red varieties is a challenge. To make a sauce that is rich in flavor, use whole canned San Marzano tomatoes. For years I rejected the notion that these slightly-more-expensive tomatoes could be noticeably tastier, but they really do add a new dimension to your dishes.
Serves 6
15m prep time
1h cook time
INGREDIENTS
1 1-lb box spaghetti
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions for 5 minutes or until they’re starting to turn translucent.
Add garlic and cook another minute. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook until meat is browned, about 8 minutes.
In a medium bowl crush tomatoes by hand. Pour both tomatoes and the juice in with the beef and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add in chopped basil and toss with spaghetti. Taste sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Transfer to casserole dish if the mixture won’t all fit into the skillet. Top with cheeses and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Top with chopped parsley and serve piping hot.
