Baked Mostaccioli

Feel free to make this dish with ziti or penne pasta. This is a great pasta casserole to bake for a potluck or everyday family meal.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked mostaccioli pasta
1/2 pound ground beef
2 italian sausages, removed from casings
2 tablespoons each of chopped onion and green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes, diced
3 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoonn chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt and dried oregano
dash sugar and black pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Cook mostaccioli until al dente in boiling salted water. Drain and set aside. In skillet, combine meat, sausages, onion, green pepper and garlic. cook breaking up meat, until meat is browned. Drain off fat. To the meat, add all remaining ingredients, except egg and cheeses. Bring meat sauce to a boil.

Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. meanwhile, combine egg and cheeses. To assemble, stir cooked pasta into meat sauce. Place half in 1 quart buttered baking dish. Spread cheese mixture evenly over the top. cover with remaining pasta. Bake, covered, at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through.
Mostaccioli recipe serves 4.