Baked Mostaccioli
Originally published as Baked Mostaccioli in Healthy Cooking April/May 2008, p41 "I often serve this for dinner parties and always get tons of compliments," writes Donna Ebert from Richfield, Wisconsin.
Originally published as Baked Mostaccioli in Healthy Cooking April/May 2008, p41 "I often serve this for dinner parties and always get tons of compliments," writes Donna Ebert from Richfield, Wisconsin.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 small onion chopped
- 8 ounces mostaccioli (penne pasta) uncooked
- 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
- 14-1/2 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 1/2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 21.7862636068249 g
- Cholesterol 70.9961643606694 mg
- Fat 14.0265973040239 g
- Fiber 2.01172864794619 g
- Protein 34.0067182088223 g
- Saturated Fat 7.46993362488764 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (263g)
- Sodium 1036.08703827302 mg
- Sugar 19.7745349588787 g
- Trans Fat 1.27929484177804 g
- Calories 351 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook mostaccioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain if necessary.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and marjoram; set aside. Drain mostaccioli.
- Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with half of the mostaccioli, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Top with cottage cheese mixture. Layer with remaining mostaccioli, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (dish will be full).
- Bake, uncovered, at 350(F) degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.
Replacing mostaccioli with tubular rigatoni alters the fluid dynamics of the dish entirely, trapping heavier concentrations of meat sauce inside every individual cylinder instead of merely coating the exterior surfaces. Substituting pasta shapes with ridges also increases the surface friction needed to grip dairy components. Pasta science reveals that starches continue absorbing moisture even after baking ceases, which explains why day-old portions often taste more cohesive than fresh ones. Letting the casserole rest uncovered for fifteen minutes after extraction from the 350 degree oven allows internal steam pressures to drop, solidifying the melted mozzarella and cottage cheese matrices so individual squares hold their shape cleanly upon serving. When storing leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days, cover the vessel tightly with foil to prevent surface dehydration of the exposed parmesan crust.
The Evolution of Starch and Sauce
Baked pasta dishes historically emerged from domestic strategies designed to utilize leftover boiled grains by binding them with eggs, cheeses, and rich simmered tomatoes into portable calories. Mostaccioli, historically recognized by its smooth surface and diagonal-cut ends, reacts differently to long baking times than rougher extruded shapes like penne rigate. Simmering the ground turkey and tomato paste base for exactly fifteen minutes concentrates the natural glutamic acids within the paste while evaporating excess water that might otherwise render the final casserole watery. Maintaining moderate medium heat during the initial meat-browning phase prevents the lean turkey proteins from toughening prematurely before the liquid components enter the saucepan.Managing Moisture and Texture
Destroying the textural contrast between tender pasta and the crisp edges of the baked cheese layers typically happens when excess moisture from undrained vegetables or watery cheeses goes unchecked. Fat-free cottage cheese contains significantly more free liquid than whole-milk ricotta, making the addition of dried marjoram and thorough draining essential steps to prevent a soggy interior. Coating the 11-in. by 7-in. baking dish with cooking spray facilitates clean extraction without sacrificing the caramelized cheese edges that develop during the thirty to forty minutes of uncovered baking. Recognizing when the internal temperature reaches the bubbling threshold ensures the dish achieves optimal thermal penetration without scorching the delicate parmesan dusting on top.
