Franco’s Pasta Al Forno

The preferred pasta is rigatoni. Prepare the sauce in advance then refrigerate and before using skim the fat from the top. The cooking time includes the time in the refrigerator.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• Sauce

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped onion
• 1  lb  chopped beef
• 28  ounces tomato sauce
• 1⁄2 cup red wine
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon parsley
• 1  teaspoon marjoram
• 6  leaves fresh basil

• Pasta

• 1  lb pasta
• 1  lb ricotta cheese
• 1  lb mozzarella cheese
• 1⁄2 cup  grated cheese
• 8  ounces frozen spinach

Directions

1. Sauce.
2. Saute onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
3. Add meat and brown.
4. Add red wine and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add sauce and seasonings and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Let it cool in refrigerator for at least a couple of hours and remove when ready to assemble the dish.
7. Skim the fat from the sauce.
8. Pasta assembly.
9. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
10. Cook the pasta for a couple of minutes less than that indicated on the box as it will continue to cook in the oven.
11. Reserve some of the mozzarella to top the dish.
12. Defrost the spinach.
13. In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, the remaining mozzarella, grated cheese and spinach.
14. When the pasta is cooked start the assembly in an oven proof casserole. Start with a layer of sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Add a layer of pasta to the casserole. Add a layer of the cheese/spinach mixture. Repeat with the sauce/pasta/ cheese mixture until all ingredients are used. You should end with a layer of pasta and top it off with a layer grated cheese and mozzarella cheese.
15. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
16. Enjoy!