Pizza Casserole

CarrolJ's Note:

This is similar to many Baked Pasta dishes but with the distinct flavors of pizza. I created this recipe yesterday and took it to a dinner party as the main dish. It was a big hit and every woman there asked for the recipe. I decided that anything that popular should be posted here. You do not have to use the same kind of pasta I did...but should use a pasta which will remain slightly firm after boiling and baking so that it is not mushy. NOTE** I've had several people ask about when to add the spices...you can either add them to the sauce or to the sausage when you cook it. Either way works great! Since this recipe is an original creation of mine, it tickles me so very much that lots of people are enjoying it! Thanks everyone!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 lb bow tie pasta
• 1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage , 'country mild' (or other flavor if desired)
• 1 large onion , medium size chopped (cooked with sausage)
• 2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (I used Bertolli's Tomato & Basil)
• ½ lb cubed cooked ham
• ½-1 lb of sliced pepperoni
• 3 (8 ounce) bags of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 6 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in boiling water until al denté.
2. Cook sausage, garlic powder and oregano with onions until the juices run clear.
3. In a lightly greased 9x13x3 inch pan, pour a small amount of sauce to lightly coat bottom.
4. Layer ingredients in the order listed below.
5. 1st layer-1/3 of the pasta, 1/3 remaining sauce, 1 bag of mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, sausage and onions.
6. 2nd layer-1/2 of the remaining pasta, 1/2 remaining sauce, 1 bag of mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, ham.
7. 3rd layer-all remaining pasta, all remaining sauce, 1 bag of mozzarella cheese, 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese,all the pepperoni(completely covering the entire top with pepperoni).
8. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes.
9. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[Suzie Boozie]

I thought this had a great flavor (like a baked ziti with meat). However, the abundance of meat was a bit too much for my family, so next time I think I'll cut out the ham. Oh, and be sure to cover the top with foil or it will burn! Thanks for sharing this fun recipe!

[AmandaMcMom]

This was a rich tasting dish! The smell made my mouth water! I added Mushrooms, peppers and sliced olives to justify eating so much meat and carbs. When I make it again, I dont think I will layer it, I will just mix it all in a bowl then put in a casserole dish and then top with pepperoni. If someone is making this for the first time know that you should be feeding a crowd! or at least make it in two dishes so you can freeze one for a later date. I ended up freezing half the dish after 4 of us ate us at until we were stuffed. Cant wait to make this for a Pot luck!

[Oldfardt]

We made this with all the goodies we like on our pizza - sausage, bacon, pepperoni, green pepper, onion, jalapinos. My DW really liked it. Excellent! This one is a "keeper"