Pizza Casserole

Brown your ground beef over medium heat until nicely browned. Drain off the fat and transfer the cooked meat to a clean plate or bowl. Leaving a bit of the drippings in the pan will be fine. You are going to be sautéing the onion in a minute anyway.

Sauté the onion in the rendered beef fat till soft, translucent and slightly golden on some of the edges. Add olive oil or more pan drippings if there is not enough to sauté properly.

Cook your pasta about a minute short of al dente, using the package timing for al dente. Drain the pasta and put it in a large mixing bowl.

To the drained pasta add: browned meat, sauteed onion, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine.

Put half the noodle/meat mixture into a 9×13 pan.

Spread 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese over the top. Spread pepperoni in a single layer over the top (using about half of the pepperoni).

Repeat the process of adding the second half of the pasta, meat mixture and mozzarella cheese. Add one more layer of pepperoni.

Pop in the oven for 45 minutes at 350F or till heated through and bubbly.

Serve warm and gooey.