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This is a variation of a baked ziti recipe that one of my good internet friends from a parenting board shared with me. Thanks to Amy, this casserole quickly secured its place as one of the most frequently chosen dinners at our house.
To begin, cook the pasta according to package directions. I like to slightly undercook it by a minute since it’s going in a casserole.
While the pasta is cooking, chop up the onion and garlic. Heat up one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan.
Sauté the onion and garlic until the onions become translucent and slightly browned.
Add in the ground beef and the basil, Italian seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir frequently to break up the beef and keep the garlic from burning. If you’re trying to make this not-exactly-healthy dish a little healthier, you can drain the fat before adding the seasonings. But I’m usually not that healthy. I just keep it all in there, and cook the beef until the pink is gone.
When the pasta is finished, drain it and place it in a large casserole. Add a tablespoon of butter to coat and a healthy dose of salt. Buttering the penne in the casserole greases the edges and keeps it from sticking later on. As if we need anymore fat/butter/oil. Ha!
Remove the noodles from the casserole dish and set them aside till later. I only use about 2/3rds of the noodles and save the rest for my picky daughter who won’t eat anything that touches a tomato.
About the cheese.
Some people won’t be able to bring themselves to attempt sour cream in a pasta dish. If you are one of those, try ricotta instead. But if you’re willing, I highly recommend the sour cream. It is less heavy than ricotta, and has a milder taste—but similar texture—when cooked. It’s one of my favorite elements of this dish.
Now for the assembly.
Begin by placing a layer of noodles in the bottom of the casserole. Then layer on half of the ground beef mixture.
After the ground beef, spoon on all of the sour cream and spread it around. Top it with half of your jar of pasta sauce. Next, layer on half of each of the cheeses.
Create a second layer like the first, minus the sour cream.
Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45 minutes.
Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
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bderby on 1.21.2012
I made this with some homemade pasta sauce that I had and took to a friend’s house who had hurt her foot. It got RAVE reviews!! definitely a keeper.