Baked Mostaccioli
I came across this recipe several years ago, and it has been a hit with my family ever since. My children especially enjoy the unique noodles! It's ideal to take to our church potlucks, because it serves a large group.
I came across this recipe several years ago, and it has been a hit with my family ever since. My children especially enjoy the unique noodles! It's ideal to take to our church potlucks, because it serves a large group.
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces uncooked mostaccioli
- 4 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 to 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
- Carbohydrate 61.9995076560082 g
- Cholesterol 194.046641592048 mg
- Fat 45.4559831467567 g
- Fiber 2.16948967509957 g
- Protein 52.9661740843497 g
- Saturated Fat 24.6615722073309 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (663g)
- Sodium 1113.86521752416 mg
- Sugar 59.8300179809086 g
- Trans Fat 4.94966122280492 g
- Calories 856 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook mostaccioli according to package directions; drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, mushrooms, water, salt, sugar, basil, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Discard bay leaf. Stir in mostaccioli. Spoon half into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; layer with remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Cover and bake at 350 ° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Swapping canned diced tomatoes for fresh summer plum varieties alters the moisture balance significantly, requiring longer simmering times to concentrate the natural sugars and acids. Preserved tomato products, such as paste and sauce, deliver concentrated glutamates and a standardized thickness that fresh produce cannot replicate without extensive reduction. Understanding how preserved and fresh components interact changes the fundamental structure of a baked pasta dish, dictating both the final viscosity of the sauce and the rate at which heat transfers through the layers.
- Brown the ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat until all pink color disappears, then add the minced garlic for exactly 60 seconds to release its aromatic compounds without scorching the sulfur bonds.
- Simmer the uncovered sauce for 30 minutes to evaporate excess water content, which prevents the pasta from becoming waterlogged during the subsequent baking phase.
- Maintain the oven temperature at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, covering the 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish to trap steam during the initial 30 to 35 minutes of thermal processing.
- Allow the casserole to rest undisturbed for 5 minutes before portioning, enabling the melted mozzarella and starch matrices to firm up sufficiently for clean slicing.
Excessive moisture destroys the structural integrity of baked starches, turning distinct tubular noodles into a mushy paste. Balancing the liquid volume ensures the mozzarella cheese melts into stretchy strands rather than releasing an oily pool of separated fats.
