So in my last posting I talked about how great the smell of marinara was…..blah blah blah. This recipe will show you how to use it in one of my favorite childhood dishes. One of the questions I usually get asked when people find out that I am a chef is “what is your favorite food” or “what is your favorite thing to cook”
There really is not a black and white response that I can give to those questions. One of the reasons I fell in love with the Culinary Industry is because it is ever changing. I am constantly finding new “favorite” ingredients and recipes, as well as cooking methods. The past week I made everything from Thai fish cakes to Knishes. The more I cook the more my taste change. Ten years ago I would have thought it was unconscionable to add salt to ice cream, now caramel gelato w/ fleur de sel is one of my signature desserts. However, if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would have to be PASTA!
Pasta is one of the few ingredients that can stand up to just about any method of cooking and be a savory or sweet dish. You can boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. There is stir fried pasta and pasta with …sorry I’m starting to sound like Bubba Gump. My love of pasta had very humble beginnings. Like so many children I looked forward to the nights we would have Pah-sketti.
Whether it was my Mom, Grandma or a friends Mother I could not get enough spaghetti. I think I was in the 1st grade when I first had baked spaghetti .“I didn’t know they could do spaghetti like that” I remember telling my friend. All I knew was that it seemed like pizza and spaghetti had gotten together and spawned this delectable entrée. There are a few things that you need to take note of, to ensure you get awesome baked spaghetti.
First off, make sure you do not overcook your noodles. You will be boiling and baking them. Second, make sure you do not add too much sauce, incorporate just enough to bind everything nicely. Most of all make sure that your cheese gets slightly brown on top or on the edges. You are aiming for a slight crust of cheese, the texture of all the components is just as important as the flavor.
If you are living in a dorm with a full kitchen this is a great dish to make while cramming for finals. This is also fantastic for all of us who are crazy busy and want to utilize some leftover fridge & pantry items. Since I already had plenty of Marinara, total cost for everything was only $7.51 Yields 10-12 servings.
Baked Spaghetti
1 pound spaghetti cooked al dente
1 pound ground beef or turkey
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 oz package shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large skillet, cook beef season w/ salt and Italian seasoning set aside.
In a large bowl combine cooked ground beef, sauce and pasta. Transfer mixture to a 13x9 pan that has been coated with nonstick spray. Sprinkle cheeses in an even layer across the top.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes / Tips: Use any kind of shredded cheese you like. Typically I will use an Italian shredded blend, mild Cheddar or Mozzarella. feel free to sneak in some finely diced veggies to add more body to this sauce and get rid of any leftover veggies. Since I am going down memory lane (again) I would suggest either red or purple Kool Aid to go along with this. That’s what I always drank with it. However now that I have grown up ( debatable) I would recommend Chianti. If you manage to have any leftovers the flavors maturate and taste even better the next day.
That's exactly how my daughter says it-- and she's 14 now!
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